


See you on the other side

by orphan_account



Series: Wi(II) [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 22,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22029892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Inspired plot. A Solangelo AU that takes place after Will Solace's death. Will dies at age seven, and meets Nico, who brings him to Elysium. Their love story takes off from there. Will is a little OOC, but only in the prequel. In the sequel coming out around mid-April, he is in character.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Series: Wi(II) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1688854
Comments: 17
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

Will opened his eyes, and felt his self evaporate from his mortal body. He looked blankly at his doctor hovering over his dead self, and as he flashed lights into his eyes.

Will, a little startled about his new wispy body, watched the doctor talk to his parents. They both collapsed into sobs, both with sadness and a hint of relief. Will reached out to comfort them with his childlike kisses and loving hugs he used to give before he got sick, but it didn't work. It never worked anymore.

Will curiously turned to look at a person at the door. He tilted his head then caught sight of a mirror and wanted to sprint at it to find his reflection. But then he remembered someone was there. Mama had always told him he had to be respectful to others.

The person's large black hood covered his eyes, and Will wondered how the boy looked like underneath it. The cloaked boy wordlessly beckoned Will over. So this person could see him even if Mama and Daddy and Mr. Doctor couldn't.

Will put his hands in his pockets and touched the bright yellow toy car. At least he had this with him.

The cloaked person pushed his hood back and it revealed a child around the same age as Will. The boy's thick black hair went down his neck.

Will halted halfway. Mama had told him many times he was not supposed to follow strangers, but...the other person was just a child too, just like him. It was fine, wasn't it?

Behind Will, the doctors were still trying to console the hysterical couple about the loss of their one and only young child. And Will had to force himself to not look back.

The child in front of him couldn't be older than seven, and Will himself was seven too. But the boy looked slightly older than him. Just by a bit.

"Are you ready?" The boy asked, his voice flat.

"I'm ready!" Will replied enthusiastically.

The cloaked boy in front of him began walking ahead first, and Will finally turned back to take one last glance, then hurried after him eagerly.

Will trailed slowly behind the mysterious young child, and watched his cloak swish around the bottom.

"Where did you get your long black jacket?" Will asked innocently. The startled young boy appeared speechless.

"My papa gave it to me." They walked in silence for a while, then the boy spoke up again. "You like it?"

Will smiled. "It's very pretty." Then he turned away and looked out of the window.

He felt a tap on his shoulder. "Here." The boy thrust the cloak into Will's arms. He beamed.

"For me?" The boy nodded, and Will saw a small smile. He nodded.

"Thank you so much!" Will carefully held the fabric and shyly put it on when the boy gestured at it.

They continued to amble along the long hallway in silence, then Will stopped. He looked outside the window.

"Can you grant me a wish?" Will turned to the boy. "My last wish?"

The boy seemed uncertain. "Papa said we have to go back...shouldn't we?" The boy wrung his hands.

"Oh..." Will then ran to the window and let his fingers run across the cold glass. "Nevermind then."

The boy whipped around to take his hand. He looked around furtively. "Sh...don't tell anyone."

The boy stood a little taller than Will himself, but his large brown eyes appeared to have shortened his height. "What is it?"

Will tugged at the boy's arm and led him to the field outside. "Can i go pick one of those flowers?"

"Huh?" The boy tilted his head. "Why do you..."

Will stretched his lips to smile. "I wanted to pick one of those flowers last time, but the doctor said i couldn't until i got well."

Will's smile dimmed, but he held his stare, as did the boy.

"Ok then...done in a minute?"

Will nodded, excitement returned fully. "Sure thing!"

Will ran out to the pastures and squatted before a yellow dandelion. He bent the stalk to the side, and it wilted, but the essence of the flower floated up above into his palms.

The boy spoke from behind Will. "Why are you..."

Will turned waist up to face the boy. "Hm?"

"...so happy even though i came to get you?" Will slowly turned back to pluck the flowers, then stopped, remembering that flowers, too, had lives.

Will stood up and they continued on their way. "Mama and Daddy had to pay very expensive hospital fees. My favourite teacher said that earning money is hard work. Now that i'm going with you...Mama and Daddy wouldn't be so tired then."

The boy didn't say much after, and Will guessed he wasn't much of a talker. Will trailed behind the boy and clutched the pretty yellow flowers. Now he had with him flowers and his yellow toy car.

The boy stopped. "Am i walking too fast for you?" Will didn't notice his stop and bumped into him.

"Huh? No..."

"Then walk beside me." Will widened his eyes, then hurried over to his side.

Will turned around again. "Will Mama and Daddy be alright? I think i can hear crying." Will looked down at his hands.

"They will get over it. In the end." The boy mumbled. Will began to cry miserably.

The boy seemed stunned.

"Don't cry. Don't be like a baby." The boy said gently.

"Then what do you want me to do?" Will said between sobs. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be like that. But Mama and Daddy are going to be all alone without me and i will be alone without them."

The boy seemed uneasy. "You're not the only one who goes through this."

Will, from his sobbing mess, looked up. Then he looked back down again. "Sorry."

The boy blew out a long sigh through his lips. "No need. You're-you've just not found a way to not think about it."

Will brushed away his tears. He raised his hand up and slipped it into the boy's.

"Can i be your friend?"

The boy moved his chin nearer to his neck to look over at Will.

"...sure." Will glanced at the boy.

"Are you...okay?"

"Yeah. I just never had a friend before."

Will pulled his hand out of the boy's, and didn't notice the dimmed look on the boy's face.

"Never? Why? You seem likeable enough to me!" Will ignored the faint blush across the boy's face.

"Really?" He asked quietly. "No one has ever said that to me...thank you."

Will put his hand back in the boy's, and let out a soft sound when the boy's grip tightened a bit around his fingers.

"It's okay! Where are we going to now?"

"My father's house."

"Oh? What's his name?" Will questioned eagerly.

"Huh...Hades..." Will cocked his head to the side. It sounded so familiar to him.

"Hades? My Daddy said that one of his friends died a few days back. He was very sad. He was crying a lot and he looked very weird." The boy's grip loosened.

"Your Daddy is Apollo?" He kind of sighed out.

"Yeah." Will skipped. "Why are you here to fetch me anyway?"

The boy looked as though no one had ever asked him that before. "It's been my job for my whole life."

"You...were the kind of babies that died in their mother?" Will asked cautiously.

"Well...yeah." The boy moved his hands. "It doesn't really matter anyway."

"Ok..." They fell into silence once more.

...

The boy let go of Will's hand near the entrance of the house.

"Follow me." The boy whispered and walked inside. Will stood outside, hesitant, but followed.

"Nico. You're back." Hades didn't glance up from his newspapers.

"Yeah. And i brought back a soul." Hades readjusted his glasses, but didn't face Nico.

"You know what to do, don't you? You need to bring it to the judging panel." Will stood by the side, simultaneously trying to remember Hades' face and Nico's name, and following the conversation. The air seemed tense.

"Yes Papa, but this is Uncle Apollo's son. Young children don't need to go be judged...right?" Nico said softly.

"Apollo's son? Why is he dead at such a young age?" Hades dropped the newspapers and crouched in front of Will.

"Cancer." Will responded for Nico. Hades took Will's hands from Nico's and stood up slowly.

"Poor thing. Do you remember Uncle Hades?" The corners of Hades' eyes crinkled.

"A little bit." Will admitted.

Hades looked to Nico but did not say anything. His gaze turned back to Will.

"Will, dear, how about you live here with us from now on?"

"Um..." Will looked down.

"No! I don't want to be brothers with Will!" Nico shouted out of the blue.

Will took a step to the side. He remembered Nico now. His Daddy and Uncle Hades were good friends, so naturally Nico and Will should've been too. Then Auntie Maria had a miscarriage.

But...why? Will felt tears come to his eyes again.

"Nico!" Hades scolded Nico and glared at him. Nico became silent once more. Will felt Uncle Hades' rough palm squeeze his fingers tighter. "It's okay Will. You can stay here. Come on in."

Hades guided Will into the house gently. Will's face was flushed and embarrassed. Will wanted to say something, to apologise to Nico.

But when he turned his head around, all he saw was Nico's footsteps up the stairs leading to his room.


	2. Chapter 2

1 year from death...

For Mama and Daddy

Hello! I haven't seen you in a long time. I really really miss you. It's been a year now! Uncle Hades is now taking care of me. We had your favourite meals today. I ate all the vegetables, even though I don't like lettuce.

I learned my way around the house yesterday. It's so big! And I even found the best places to play hide and seek! But i don't think Nico wants to play with me. When i ask Uncle, he says you still remember me. I remember you too!

Do you still think about me? I miss you Mama and Daddy.

Will

5 years from death...

For Mama and Daddy

It's now 5 years. I started going to school. People here are quite nice, but some people are so mean. I thought I could be in the same class as Nico, but I wasn't. He looked kind of happy and sad about it. I think he doesn't like me. I like science. But teachers here are scary.

Uncle sometimes lets me see you through a mirror. Like in beauty and the beast! But I dropped it one day and it broke. I cut myself trying to pick up the glass and Nico was angry at me. I can't really see you anymore. But you two are still so beautiful.

I don't need to sleep with Uncle anymore. I try not to cry because Nico said it was like being a baby. But it still hurts.

I really miss you both. Do you still think about me?

Will

10 years from death...

For Mama and Daddy

It's been ten years now. I'm going to start 12th grade soon. I did well in 11th grade, but some people use me as their lackey. I hope I'm not in the same class with them this time. I made the top 10%. I know you two will be proud of me.

I'm also doing archery. I know i got my skills from you Daddy. Uncle told me so. Sometimes i think i can feel you Daddy, when I draw the bow. Do you feel it?

I was thinking about becoming an archer, or a doctor, or a singer maybe. What do you and Mama think? I hope you'll be with me when I apply for any jobs. I don't cry as much anymore. Uncle Hades will think it's me and Nico having a fight. I don't want to get Nico into trouble.

But I still cry sometimes. You two are my heroes. I love you both so much.

Do you still think about me?

Will


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys. i just wanted to say that this fanfic of mine, for the first time, will be most leisure-like and not be like 'oh i have to make each chapter super long' kinda thing. i seriously hope yall wont hate me for this.
> 
> Anyway, on with the fanfic...

His eyes flew open, and he gasped for air. Will rubbed his eyes to get the morning dust out of them. Another one of his random nightmares.

He sat up in his bed, and leaned over his bent knees. Why did he suddenly dream of that again? He momentarily shut his eyes, then remembered he had school that day. And he had to help Uncle make breakfast.

He threw off his covers then quickly made the bed and freshened up. It was his first day of school in twelfth grade.

He ambled down the stairs, going two at a time.

"Good morning Uncle!" Will smiled. Uncle Hades was Will's adoptive father in the Underworld. He had signed the papers, and was his legal guardian in school.

"To you too. Did you have a good sleep Will?"

"Yes. I should help you make breakfast!" Will began to step forward.

"No need. I made it already." Uncle, from behind his back, presented some cookies on a tray.

"Oh...i should've woken up earlier to help you. I'm so sorry."

"It's no worry really." Uncle removed his oven gloves and put the cookies on the plate. "Is Nico still asleep? Why don't you get him up?"

"Of course!" Will turned to run back up the stairs to get Nico, but he didn't have to.

"I'm up already." Nico's flat voice said. Will caught Nico staring at him, and he averted his gaze.

Nico had kept that same voice from young, apart from the natural deepening. It had always been flat, no lilt whatsoever. Nico was Uncle's son. Well, biological son.

Basically, Will was the freeloader of the household.

Uncle was Daddy's best friend, before Uncle died. Will and Nico couldn't really have been close, but it just happened that when Will moved in, they drifted apart even more.

Will remembered that with his friends, he'd always fight over the blue or yellow or red sports cars, and the material of car counted too, but Nico had been an only child, and alone since young.

So Will guessed that naturally, Nico didn't know how to act with another child in the family. And besides, it didn't seem like Uncle's decision in bringing Will in included Nico's opinions.

Will supposed that it was normal for siblings to squabble when growing up, but Nico always gave things up for Will. Will hadn't known how to get Nico not to do that, so every night, Will would go to the door of Nico's room and put whatever Nico had given him out there.

Maybe Uncle had told Nico to do that.

"You're a kind boy Nico." Uncle would always say to Nico, then look at the toy in his hands. Perhaps Nico felt obligated to.

Either way, Will was very sorry for taking everything from Nico, so his routine became such that every night, he'd return Nico's things silently.

And in return to repay Nico's kindness, Will tried to stay out of trouble to lessen everyone's worries.

...

"I'm going to go pack my bag." Nico muttered under his breath and excused himself from the table. Uncle shrugged and Will kept quiet.

"Was the food nice Will?" Uncle asked.

"Yes Uncle. Thank you so much for preparing it so early in the morning!"

"Shall I get you some more?"

"Ah no need Uncle." Will replied.

"Really? It's no trouble at all."

"It's okay. I'm already full." Will stayed a while longer to clean up the table.

"Thank you so much Will. Oh and today is your first day of twelfth grade right?"

"Yes Uncle."

"Hurry along then. We don't need you to be late." Will threw the remnants of food into the bin and nodded, then ran up to his bedroom.

There was a photo of his parents in his room, by the bedside.

"Mama and Daddy...today is my first day of twelfth grade...do you think i can get through it?"

Will stared at the motionless black and white picture then wiped the surface with his thumb.

"Of course. Anyway, I'm going to school." Will smiled at Mama's dull eyes and Daddy's warm gaze. "Bye then."

...

Will found his classroom and he nervously walked in. He looked around. Everyone had their own cliques already... And he was all alone.

Sighing, he found an empty seat. Then he realised why it was empty. It was the seat directly behind the class bullies. Well not really class bullies. They mostly just used Will as their errand boy.

No way... after three years still in the same class...

He ducked under the table in an attempt to make himself less noticeable. He felt a hand from the back flick his head. He rubbed it.

"Hey why are you so late today?" A loud all too familiar voice rang behind him. He swallowed and didn't answer.

Octavian and Drew. They walked before him and Octavian sat on the table.

"Hey! I called you! I demand an answer!" Octavian frowned and hit his head again. Will wrung his hands.

"Sorry..." Octavian was more physically aggressive, while Drew was mostly the one who borrowed money and never returned it. Basically stealing, but with consent.

Below the table, Will clenched his fists. Because of them, the money Uncle gave me everyday for allowance never really came into use. He had been hoping for a different set of classmates this year.

The light in Will's eyes darkened. Could he change the situation?

"O...Octavian..." Octavian turned around at the speed of light, his hand already in midair ready to deliver a slap across his face.

"You dare to call my name?!" He growled. Will flinched.

"Sorry." Well so this is how it'd be the whole year. His attempts at avoiding Octavian never worked. Drew stepped in front of Octavian, and Will silently exhaled. At least Drew wouldn't do much physical damage.

"Did you have breakfast?" Will didn't know if this was some bait.

"Yeah I have." He mumbled. Apparently that was the wrong answer. Drew slammed her hand on his table, and those who hadn't already been looking turned to stare.

"And you didn't bother to ask me?!" She glared.

"Pardon me...do you want something? I can...go buy something..."

"Yes! Such a slow thinker! Hurry up! I want a croissant and a puff! Go!" She ordered. Will cowered under her hard look and slinked away from his seat. Secretly he counted his money.

He didn't even have enough for that. He sighed and was about to step out but there was someone at the door.

He looked down and hastily stepped to the side and made way for the person.

The person didn't budge or move at all.

He squeezed into the gap between the person and door and ran out to the cafe.

Behind him, he vaguely heard squeals and the squeaking of chairs, and the calling of a person's name.

"...ico! Oh my god! Nico!"

Will halted in his steps. Huh..? Then he slowed his footsteps.

"...! Nico! Sit next to me!"

Will forced his legs to bring him to the cafe.

Nico..? What was he doing here?


	4. Chapter 4

Nico stood outside the door and put a hand on it, intending to slide it open, but it did before he even moved. He looked up.

Blue eyes met brown.

Will? What? He was in the same class as him?

Will moved to the side, but Nico didn't move. What was he to do? Should he have said hi?

"I'll go in first." Nico mumbled so softly he himself couldn't quite hear. Anyway, it must have been to soft for Will to hear either.

Will didn't say a word in response and just ducked into the gap and sprinted out of the classroom. Nico sighed and heard Will rush out of the class.

Once he entered, the usual parade of girls began their yearly murmur.

"Nico? Oh my god. Nico!"

"Nico! Sit next to me!"

"Is it that guy? Oh my god he's drop dead gorgeous."

"Ella stop with the puns!"

"He really is dead anyway. Everyone here is..."

"Yes but certain people even after death aren't treated that well..." Nico blocked out each and every single one of their statements.

He rolled his eyes to himself. Then he saw a person by the side. Drew and Octavian. The two loudmouths.

"Is that Nico di Angelo? I heard he died young..." Octavian whispered to Drew.

"Who can't tell that's him?!" Drew whisper shouted back.

Nico glared at the two of them, and they lapsed into silence. Their behaviour was annoying, as always.

He glanced to where his eleventh grade classmates were by the side.

"Hey Nico!"

"Hi!" Reyna, Leo Valdez, and Luke Castallen. They had been in the same class for quite a while now, and with his father being friends with the homeroom teacher, Chiron, and his assistant, Mr. D, Nico was usually put in classes where he'd have an easier time finding acquaintances.

He walked forward, to the seat diagonally behind Will's. The people who were previously there immediately moved aside and made space for Nico.

Nico's popularity didn't stem just from looks, or his father's connections, though both certainly played a part. It couldn't be through his academics, seeing that they were above average at best. It was mostly due to his long stay in the underworld.

Everyone gave more respect to those who had been down there for a longer period of time. Nico, having come down here from the start of his damned life, obviously was some figure of respect for everyone.

Will, however, had died when he was seven, hence had seventeen years of life in total, but his time there was only ten. Ten years in the underworld. Those who were even eligible for schooling while in the underworld usually died young, but surprisingly not many had a case like Nico's.

...

Will sprinted the rest of the way.

How could it be possible? He had never been in the same class as Nico before...

Will ruffled his head of hair. He'd rather someone come and bash him up if that meant he would wake up from this dream.

...

Octavian sat on Will's desk, squeezing the life out of the poor sandwich under his fat ass.

""Hey Nico. Wanna sit next to me? We can catch hot chicks together." Octavian offered with a crooked grin. Beside him, Drew smirked and fist bumped him.

Nico just turned away and fiddled with the pencil behind his ear. Nico frowned, annoyed. He didn't say anything, however, and just waited silently for the teacher to appear.

And Will too, of course.

The door slid open to reveal a panting, out-of-breath boy. Nico lifted his head up to see if it was Will.

So it was.

Will kept his head low, and Nico could see a cream puff and canned drink in his hands. Nico raised his eyebrows. Hadn't he already eaten at breakfast?

Nico continued to eye him as Will slinked into his seat and tapped Drew's shoulder.

She turned around in a flash.

"What is it!?" She demanded and even Nico flinched at the sudden increase in volume. That Drew sure was one demonic hypocrite.

Will seemed to have expected it, but he still cringed.

"I...don't have enough money to get what you wanted..." Will mumbled softly, but handed her the puff and drink. Drew glared at him, but then a smirk took over her face.

"Very well. I need to borrow your notebook for today. And your pens."

Will's eyes widened. "W...what? Why? We have that test today..." Will protested. Drew clenched her jaw.

"So what? I need it." She countered, as if it were some reasonable explanation to possibly fail the first test of the grade, then rolled her eyes.

"Hand it over." She held her hand out in front of him. Nico's eyes followed Will's hands as it disappeared into the bag.

He's not going to...is he?

Nico silently thought to himself. He watched Will's hands extend out to pass it over, but Will paused midway.

Nico could see Will was trembling. Nico gripped the pencil behind his ear tightly.

"You don't have it with you?" He asked one last time.

"No you bitchsquealer. (Those who read 'Will Grayson, Will Grayson' would understand.)" Will winced shuddered at the term and dropped his notebook into Drew's waiting palms.

She snorted. "That's how it's done, freak."

"I'm not a freak." Will said to himself, and Nico knew that if he himself could hear it, so could she.

"What was that?" She simpered. Will squirmed uncomfortably. Nico turned his head to look the other side. Everyone, and he meant every single person, was looking at them.

"Nothing." Nico heard Will answer. Even when looking the other way, Nico could almost see the evil grin spread across her face.

Octavian leapt down from the table and scuttled to Nico's side.

"Is that your girlfriend sitting beside you?" Nico looked to the girl.

She must have had some self-pride. "No! I don't even know him as a person! We are just classmates" She said.

Nico just sighed. He didn't respond, and his responselessness had long become a norm. It wasn't that he wasn't triggered, rather, he had just long laid out his few rules in life.

Rule 1. Don't talk

Rule 2. Don't care

Rule 3. Be that stupidly stereotypical eboy everyone dubbed him as

Octavian wasn't having it. "That's impossible! How can a girl and a boy sitting together be just classmates? Nonsense."

Nico restrained himself from cussing him out.

Drew rocked her chair backwards. "Hey Nico. Want one?" She shook the puff in her hands. Nico barely glanced in her direction.

"Nevermind." Drew uttered, a little displeased.

"I'll have it then!" Luke called out and easily caught it in midair. "Thanks."

Nico gave him a disapproving look. "How long are you going to be here?"

Luke opened the packaging. "Huh?"

"You're spilling crumbs everywhere. Go back to your seat." He leaned back against his chair and plugged in his earbuds to signify the end of all conversation with him.

He only removed one side of the earbud when he saw Will fold his arms on the desk and rest his head.

Not long later, the teacher entered, and Nico, along with the class, stood up to greet. Nico tilted his head toward the sleeping Will and kicked his leg. Will woke up with a start.

Nico sighed to himself.

...

Will sat by himself at the lunch table. Oh God, Nico hadn't seen what happened right? Maybe..?

Will buried his head in his hands. Who was he kidding? Of course he had seen it. Of course Nico knew what was going on. Of course he was going to tell Uncle Hades what was going on, and naturally Uncle Hades would kick him out because he was nothing but a freeloader.

Then he'd have to wonder around Elysium in search of some cave and live out the rest of his eternal life with feral animals. Will picked at his food.

Someone moved over to sit in front of him. Will looked up, confused.

Nico...

"Who were those people?" Nico asked quietly, and Will silently stared at him in utter disbelief.

"Look. I get that you hate me, but could you at least answer?" Nico continued.

Will nearly fell off his seat. "Huh..? I never hated you."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Right."

Will desperately waved his hands before him. "No really! I thought you hated me!"

Nico scooped up some rice and put it in his mouth. "Why would i?" Will looked down at his fingers uncomfortably.

"That time you said..." Nico frowned.

"What did i say?"

"...that you didn't want to be my brother..." Nico dropped his spoon.

"Oh." Nico bent down to pick up his spoon, then got up to take another. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Sure you didn't." Will replied, disheartened.

"I really didn't mean it. I mean...i did. But not in that way." Nico ran to the stall to get another spoon then returned. "Whatever, okay? Just...could you just forget about it?"

"Okay."

Nico rolled his eyes. "Anyway, who are those people? You still haven't answered me."

"They are my friends..." Nico glared at him.

"Don't lie to me. Friends don't do that." Will didn't flinch.

"You used to...and you were my best friend." Nico didn't really have much to counter that.

"I never took your things. And fine, maybe i did go a little far with the silent treatment." Nico rubbed his forehead. "Look. I'm sorry, alright?"

"Alright." Will poked at his food.

"Are you sure you don't hate me?"

"Yeah. I don't."

Nico pursed his lips, and Will began to eat his food. "Those friends of yours...i seriously think they are a bit rough."

The bell went off. "You don't have archery today right?" Nico asked as he got up to return hus tray.

"No. I'm going to go home after school."

"Am i right in guessing that those friends of yours will be there after school?"

"Yeah." Nico crossed his arms.

"Meet me at the rink."

"The rink..?" Will scratched the back of his neck. "I can't even skate."

"You're not going to." Nico answered. "You'll just be there so i can keep an eye on you."

"Huh...right..."


	5. Chapter 5

Nico laced up his figure skating boots and tightened it. He tossed his bag at Will.

"Could you not tell Uncle?" Will piped up.

"Tell Dad what? About your friends?"

"Yeah...i may be freeloading, but if I'm kicked out, i won't have anywhere to stay..."

"Obviously." Nico muttered. "Those friends of yours won't take you in."

Will frowned. "It's not their job to."

"Exactly. That's my Dad's job. He won't kick you out." Will pulled Nico's back onto his lap and hugged it tight.

"Thanks Nico." Nico paused mid step then continued to enter the rink.

"What for?" He asked, skating forward slowly.

"Shouldn't you look in front of you so you won't fall?" Will pointed before him.

"Huh?"

"So you won't crash into other skaters."

Nico shrugged. "I won't. Don't you know? I've been doing figure skating for how many years now."

"Don't you do soul reaping? And since when did you do figure skating?"

"Not as much anymore. And I picked up figure skating when l was like...three. That was before I picked you up."

"Oh...i never noticed." Will flushed red.

"You didn't." Nico agreed. "Dad didn't either. Until just two years ago."

"Sorry." Will mumbled.

"Don't be. And by the way, no one else is here. So i won't just crash into anyone."

"Oh right. Get going then." Nico left without a reply.

He calmly glided over the ice for a while.

"Wanna join?" Nico offered.

"Sure...i don't know how to though..."

"Ah...It's fine." Nico pointed to the side. "Get a pair for yourself over there."

Nico plugged his earbuds in and listened to his favourite piece of music and began to skate to it.

After being on the ice for close to half his life, he had naturally come up with a few choreographies and looked up the different tricks that professionals did. He learned them over time.

Today, he was listening to Neverland by Holland. It was a relatively calm and slow piece. Easy to skate to.

He pushed off forward, going for a simple skate. Then, he moved his legs out to anticipate a triple axel. His legs moved into an outside edged eagle spread then entered the axel. He landed with a hand on the ground, and he frowned.

He shouldn't have. In a competition, he would have had marks deducted. More determined now, he landed a double lutz with a hand up, then drew it down to his chest. He clenched it into a fist.

Yes. He had done it. Now for another shot at the triple axel. This time, he landed it without his hands on the ground at all.

"Uh...Nico? Help." Nico heard vaguely. He removed a side of the earbud.

Nico skated to the side. "You were saying?"

"Um...i don't think i should skate. I can't even move forward without tripping."

"It's fine." Nico said impatiently. Nico gripped Will's forearm and pulled him onto the ice.

"You move your legs like this...then like that...keep your hands like this..." Nico adjusted Will's posture. He then moved back a bit then adjusted it some more. Perfect. "There you go. Try?"

Will moved forward a bit. "I'll continue trying this yeah?" Nico nodded and stared at him try repeatedly. Will made a wrong move and fell forward. Nico caught him. Nico saw the back of Will's neck turn red.

Will made a fleeting gesture. "You continue your routine thing."

"Ok. Once you get the hang of it yell at me." Nico smiled then put in the other earbud. He travelled down further then attempted a triple toe loop. Seems like today was his lucky day.

He ventured on and pushed his luck, completing a quad for the first time. Then he went on to do some more salchows and flips. He had barely ever landed these before.

"Nico...Nico..?" Nico pulled out an earbud.

"Huh? Got it already?"

"No...but it's already six. Uncle would be worried."

"I've stayed out later than this before and he never really cared but...okay. Let's go."

Nico took off his boots and turned to look at Will's. Rookie skaters weren't usually used to having blisters on their feet. Nico had forgotten to warn Will about it previously.

"The blisters will leave after a while." Nico held his hand out for Will's boots. "Do you like skating?"

"I'd stick to archery." Will responded and passed the boots. "Skating is hard."

"I suppose so." Nico absentmindedly stacked the boots at the side. "C'mon. Dad's gonna kill me if he sees you out too late."

...

Nico pushed open the door and nudged Will forward.

"Uncle." Will greeted.

"Will! Why are you out so late? I was so worried." Hades looked to Nico. "Why is he out so late?"

Nico mumbled a silly excuse under his breath. "What was that?" Hades narrowed his eyes.

"I'm going up to sleep. See ya tomorrow." Nico ducked under Will's arms and snatched his bag back from his arms. Will let out a noise of shock but didn't move otherwise.

"Will. Did you and Nico fight?"

"No Uncle. Do you need help with laying out the tablecloth?"

"No need. I guess Nico isn't having dinner then." Hades' eyes travelled down Will's pant leg. "Why are there blisters on your feet? Did Nico beat you up?"

"Ah? No Uncle. I'll go bring out the dishes." Will scratched his neck, self-conscious about the redness from earlier .

...

They sat at the dinner table.

"Uncle...Nico does figure skating?"

Hades picked up his fork. "Did he tell you that?"

"Uh...yeah." Will answered vaguely, not sure what Nico would have wanted him to say.

"He does i guess." Hades sighed and began to eat.

"Is he good at it?" Hades smiled.

"I suppose. I never really saw him skate before." Hades swallowed his food. "Enough about Nico. How is your archery coming along?"

"Pretty good." Will shoved the food down his throat, then stopped when he saw Hades staring him. He couldn't appear too greedy.

"Are you hungry? Do you want more? We have lots more in the oven." Hades rambled.

"It's okay." Will fiddled with the tablecloth. "Uncle. Nico's birthday is coming soon right?"

"I'm not sure..."

Will widened his eyes, then decided against questioning it. "It's 29 January. Today is 22."

"Oh. I'll get him something. What does he like? Actually, Will, could you help Uncle buy Nico a gift? I'll give you 100."

"100? I don't think I'll buy something so expensive but...ok. Shouldn't you get Nico something on your own though?"

Hades sighed. "Work's been taking up quite a lot of time recently."

"Then don't tire yourself out. I'll find something." But Will couldn't help but feel that Uncle Hades, no matter how busy, should have put aside time for Nico. But that really wasn't his place to criticise.

"Thank you Will."

"No problem Uncle! My pleasure."

...

Will finished his meal then took out the better looking side of the food and put it nicely on a plate.

"Who's that for?" Hades asked as he did the dishes.

"Nico. I'll go give it to him now." Will smiled and ran up the steps.

He squatted in front of the door and placed the food at his doorstep. He knocked the door and told Nico his food was there.

Nico opened the door and stared down at Will.

"Huh? I'm not hungry. You eat it." And Nico closed the door.

"Nico..."

"Okay fine." Nico opened the door again and took the food, then closed the door. Will walked back to his room and cleaned it.

Then he bid Uncle Hades goodnight.

He wiped the photo frame of Apollo and Naomi.

"Mama, Daddy...goodnight." Will kissed the top of the frame and turned off the light.


	6. Chapter 6

"Where's my cream puff for today?" Drew sneered and poked Will's shoulder.

"I'll go get it." Will got up from his seat.

"No." Nico said firmly and instead, put his bag on his lap.

"Take this instead." Nico jammed his lunch into Drew's arms. Drew widened her eyes and cradled the container of food in her arms.

"Thank you." She said coyly, probably thinking she had captured the untouchable prince's attention.

"Don't thank me. Go back." Nico jerked his head toward her seat and she nodded.

"Thanks Nico." Will whispered.

"Whatever." Nico replied, pissed off that Will couldn't have stood up for himself. "You have archery today?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going with you." Nico muttered crossly.

"Huh? Why? I can go on my own." Will said convincingly.

"No. I'm going with you." Part of Will was afraid that Nico would see that Octavian was there too, while another was proud that he could show Nico what he had learned over the past years.

"Okay. But there is one other person coming too."

"Oh. Shouldn't be much of a problem." Nico said tersely.

...

"Hey Nico! Want to sit with us?" Luke called.

"No. I'm going to sit somewhere else." Nico replied.

"Why, Nico?" Leo asked.

"Guys. Just let him do what he wants. He's always been like that." Jason said and Nico gave him a thumbs up.

"Are you going to sit with Will again?" Luke asked boredly.

"I don't see a problem with that." Nico glared at Luke and went to take a free lunch. He then found Will sitting at a table, but there was already someone there.

Octavian and Drew. Couldn't be anything good.

With a calculating gaze, Nico sat to the side of Will.

"Nico." Octavian said dutifully.

"You." Nico replied.

Octavian was disgruntled, and it showed in his eyes. "Going archery today Will?"

Will nodded. Nico tilted his head. "Why do you care?"

"He's the only other person in archery." Octavian said with a confused look.

"Okay...Will. We're moving." Nico grabbed his arm and pulled him to another table.

"You didn't tell me Octavian was in archery!" He huffed.

"You never asked." Will shrugged.

"Don't get smart with me Will." Nico said. "You're skipping archery today."

"What? No! I can't!" Will protested.

"Take up something else." Nico retorted. "You can't be with him in the same activity!"

"I can! Watch me." Will frowned, then paled, realising he had crossed the line. "I'm so sorry. Don't kick me out."

Nico raised his eyebrows. "Not my choice. But I'm going to tell Dad if you don't quit archery."

"I...i...fine." Will looked away.

Nico was about to say something else, then sighed, knowing he had already broken all three rules in his life.

Stop it Nico. Don't talk, don't care, don't bother. Get a grip on yourself.

...

Nico followed Will around that day to make sure he didn't go to the field. And true to his word, Will didn't.

"Are you free?" Nico asked.

Will sighed. "No. I have to look for another activity to join."

"No like, today. Right now." Will looked at his timetable. All the lessons for the day were done with.

"Yeah i guess."

"Okay cos i want to bring you somewhere." Nico said and Nico held Will's wrudr with a tight grip.

"Huh?" Will appeared confused.

"Don't worry. It's about your activity."

"Ah okay." Will hoisted his bag up on his back.

...

It ended up being Nico bringing Will to the choir area.

Nico had decided that Will had a nice singing voice. And the instructor agreed.

Will was pleased, and overjoyed that the thing he had been fretting about had finally come to a quick close. Plus, Drew wasn't here either. And Octavian wasn't, for obvious reasons.

All was going well, until the next day at lunch.

...

Nico frowned.

"What do you mean by that?" Nico glared and crossed his arms.

"Why would you rather sit with that dumb boy rather than us?" Luke said.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with him." Nico said, casting a glance at Will. He was sheet white, and his fingertips trembled, drumming against his thigh at top speed.

"Nico don't." Will pleaded. Nico ignored him. No matter how much Will hated him-no, despite how much Will was going to hate him after this, he couldn't just let them bully his brother.

"You don't know what's wrong with Willy there?" Luke pointed at Will, and Nico stood to the side to cover him.

"His name is Will." Nico corrected. Leo and Jason were restraining Luke from charging forwards.

"For a stupid gay boy like him, you'd end our friendship? I thought you knew how to choose your friends wisely."

Gay..? Will...gay..? It didn't make any sense. Nico had never seen Will set eyes on anyone. Will practically never made sweet eyes with anyone Nico knew of.

"I won't tolerate such behaviour in my school! You two, meet me in my office. Now!" The principal appeared out of nowhere.

She pointed to Nico and Luke.

Nico turned to look at Will one last time, and he was there, tears dropping down his face one at a time.

Nico gritted his teeth.

...

"What did the both of you think you were doing!?" The principal put her weight on her elbows, which rested on the table.

"It was a small trivial fight." Luke muttered.

"It wasn't trivial." Nico said.

"It was." Luke insisted to the principal.

"It wasn't!" Nico yelled, then sat back down, reminding himself that he was in front of the principal.

The principal raised an eyebrow at Nico, who flushed, embarrassed.

"Why don't you, Luke, tell us your side of the story?" She gestured to Luke.

"We were just arguing about lunch sitting arrangements."

"Didn't i put it such that everyone sat according to classes? Was he not? Because even if Nico wasn't, it's not grounds to fight."

"He was. It's just that he decided to sit with someone else, and he had been sitting with us all the while. It wasn't meant to spiral out of control, and i guess we were just blinded by our anger that we--"

"No! It wasn't like that at all!" The principal turned to look at Nico.

"He was obviously trying to shame Will!" The principal adjusted her glasses.

"What could Luke shame him for?" Nico, though in the heat of his anger, stopped immediately.

"I..i can't tell you." Nico looked down at his hands. What is she was homophobic? What if...what if...

"Then I'm afraid you don't have an argument to his point. So Luke, as you were saying?"

Nico grumbled unhappily to himself. Damn it. Why did it have to be a secret?

After an hour in the office, Luke and Nico were sent out. With a detention on Nico's part.

...

"Damn it Dad! I didn't die just to have to go through this shit!" Nico yelled in frustration.

"I've been telling you to quit for a while now. I did give you the option." Hades said calmly as he spread the jam across the slice of bread.

"I'm taking that option. I'm not gonna return to school. That fking messed up shit." Nico mumbled.

"What about you Will?"

"I guess i wanna quit too." Will answered with a shrug.

"Okay then." Hades sighed. "Also, Nico, Lord Hades, the other one, not me, wants a word with you around the end of the month. Just a day after your birthday. (Yes i know january has 31 days)"

"Okay." Nico grabbed his dinner and raced up to his room.

Will picked his food up and ran after Nico.

"Where are you going Will?"

Will pretended not to hear, and continued to shadow Nico's footsteps.

"Nico? I'm sorry. Can i enter your room?" Will knocked. There was no response, only the sound of clanging metal.

"I'm really sorry. Can you forgive me?" Will tried again.

"Enter." Nico said coldly.

Will pushed the door open and then, for the first time, he realised he had never entered his room before. It was like stepping into a whole new world knowing long before that it existed.

"First of all, what the hell. I'm not even mad at you. And secondly, you should really learn to stand up for yourself. Lastly," Nico took a deep breath and looked to the locked door.

"Why the fricking hell did you not tell me before that you were fricking gay!?" Nico yelled. Will fell backwards.

"I didn't think to. And i didn't even know Luke knew about it either." Nico sighed, and Will wondered if he had said something wrong.

"If i hadn't found out today, when would you have decided to come out?" Nico gave Will an intense look.

Will blinked rapidly, flustered. "Honestly? Never."

Nico moved in, angered. "What do you mean by that?"

Will moved back slightly. "I don't know! I guess it never crossed my mind..."

Nico shoved Will's shoulder back against the wall. "And so only know you remember that you're sexually attracted to boys? Huh right."

Will winced. There was a knock on the door. Hades.

"Anything happening boys?"

"Nothing." Nico spat, then turned really red when he realised exactly how close he was to Will.

"Whatever. Don't care anymore." Nico pushed himself away from the wall and brusquely dusted off his shoulder. "Also, i need you to come with me to the rink tomorrow again."

"The rink? But isn't it in school?" Will frowned.

"There's not only one rink you know." Nico deadpanned.

"Okay." Will shifted a little, forcing his blush to lessen. It was so strange of Nico to just advance like that. "Where then?"

"You know the one near Silena's home? Yeah that one." Nico motioned with his hands.

"Ok sure." Will agreed then left the room to get a night's rest.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

"Ah...its closed. Shit." Nico muttered as the two of them stood before the closed off entrance. The rink was not going to be opened until the next day.

"We can go somewhere else." Will suggested. Nco sighed.

"Yeah i suppose." He turned away from the sign and began to walk away. "Even after death the bullshit continues, so it seems." Nico rolled his eyes.

Nico took Will's hand, just liked he did when he led him into the underworld, and gently pulled him away. Will made a soft inarticulate noise from the back of his throat.

"Ah…" Will began, then closed his mouth.

"Let's go. No use standing outside some random place." Nico said, his black duffel bag hitting the side of his thigh every now and then.

"Where are we going?" Will panted and Nico realised he must have been going way too fast. He turned to look back.

Then he found he had to look up to see him. Nico had always been the older one, but Will appeared to have made fuller use of his growing years and was now a good two inches taller than Nico.

"Somewhere." Nico shook his head and answered Will's question.

"We'ren't going home?" Nico shook his head once more. "Then you're just going to carry that bag around with you?" Will pointed to Nico's skates.

"Uh…" Nico had not considered the bag a hassle. He brought it to school everyday anyway. Or used to, but no difference. Not much at least. "Yeah."

"Sure."

…

After their wasted trip to the rink, Nico and Will decided to go to the beach.

"You know, I've never been to the beach before." Will said as he nudged the sand beneath his bare feet. Nico, on the other hand, kicked up a whole ball of it.

"For real?" Nico unconsciously walked into the water. "Ah damn it." He mumbled and removed his boots. Then he tentatively tested out the heat of the water with his bare toes. It was cold. Freezing cold, to be more accurate.

"No shit. I had never even known about this place." Will, too, slipped off his footwear to touch the water. Nico looked on in amazement.

"You have nice feet." Nico commented, then felt the heat that peppered the back of his neck. "Sorry! I didn't mean it in some perverted way."

Will glanced at Nico, and Nico squirmed once more. "Can't say the same for yours though."

"Huh what?"

"Your feet. They look like they went through some sort of torture." Will bluntly pointed out. Nico shrugged, totally used to Will's blunt nature.

"Yeah...I've been wearing the same skates for the past few years and couldn't really bother to find a more fitting one when my feet grew. This," Nico wriggled his feet. "Is the consequence. But it doesn't matter."

"We should go shopping for a new pair then." Will dried his feet faster than Nico had ever seen.

"What? No! I'm perfectly fine with my current pair. Besides, Dad won't like it."

"That's true…" Will slowed a little. "But it isn't healthy to continue on with this ill-fitting pair either." Will picked up speed once more.

"Dad is so going to hate me if he finds out." Nico mumbled.

"Come on. At least he'll hate me along with you." Will pushed Nico back to where his shoes were. Then he knelt down in front on him to help him tie his shoelaces.

"Dad won't hate-I can do that myself." Nico hastily tried to regain control of his shoes.

Will looked up at Nico with his large blue eyes and frowned. "I'll do it. Otherwise, i can't be sure you're gonna do it." Nico opened his mouth to protest, then instead, sat back and watched Will sloppily make a knot.

"Anyway, you were saying?" Will said.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Dad won't hate you." Nico called back his train of thought. "He'll only hate me. Not you."

Will pulled the laces taut. "And about that...did you do something that pissed off Uncle? He seems really...cold."

Nico let out a humourless laugh. "Oh hell yeah. I pissed him off the moment i was conceived."

"Huh..?" Will asked, confused, as he moved on to tie up the other shoe's laces.

"Dad always wanted a girl. He had planned out everything for a her, not a him." Nico gestured at himself a little bitterly. "Obviously, i didn't fit the bill."

Nico snorted despite there being nothing funny about it. "Dad had even thought up a name for her. Bianca, he had whispered to me in my mom's womb. He hadn't known yet I was a boy."

"Oh. And he hates you why?"

"Because when he found out i was a boy, he wanted an abortion. He said a boy would be just a waste of space in the household. My mom, she...was neutral. So they went for the abortion but...i probably messed it up."

Nico sighed and Will tilted his head. "How?" Will asked.

"Something went wrong during the surgery and they had to remove Mom's womb entirely…"

"And so she couldn't possibly have another child, which meant she couldn't have a girl like Uncle wanted." Will finished.

"Yep." Nico continued, a bit too chirpy to be real. "And i guess Dad didn't expect to see me here. So he was...shocked to say the least."

"But I'm a boy too. Why doesn't he...no. Why did he choose to take me in?"

"Look i don't know ok?" Nico clenched, then unclenched his fists. "Sorry. I suppose it was because Apollo was a really close to Dad, like they were real brothers. Or maybe because Dad thought of it as responsibility. I don't really know."

"Ok." They walked along. "So we are still gonna go to the store to buy skates right?"

"Hate to say this but yeah."

"Cool. Let's go quickly then. Looks like it's about to rain." Nico looked up, just as the sky was darkening. A droplet of water that tricked down Will's ear confirmed their suspicions.

"Good idea. Let's run."


	8. Chapter 8

The rain came faster than the both of them expected. 

"Crap." Nico said as he ran. Behind him, he heard a slip. Will.

He turned to look, getting more and more soaked with each passing second. Will was on the ground, but he picked himself up quickly. His knees were scraped, but it was mostly superficial. 

"Are you alright?" Nico extended a hand and hauled the boy up.

"Yeah. We should carry on." Will said. 

"I don't think the shop is anywhere near. Why don't we just-" Will cut him off.

"No. Let's go today." Will answered firmly, and squeezed Nico's shoulder. 

"Fine. But we aren't gonna run." Nico, through the film of rain that obscured his vision, tried to search for some sort of shelter. 

"There's no shelter." Will huddled in nearer, shivering. The rain hit their backs like blocks of ice, cold and hard.

"Argh. I hate to do this." Nico mumbled then removed his jacket to cover their heads from the rain. All he had been wearing under his jacket was a thin black shirt. Which was soaked quickly.

"Come on." Nico walked forward a few small steps and waited for Will to hurry along.

"Aren't you cold?" Will whispered and creeped under Nico's arm to get a better coverage from the rain.

"Nah not really. Now where's the store?"  
…

They stood in the store, and Nico picked out a white pair of skates.

"This looks cool." Nico commented and showed it to Will, but he shook his head.

"If I'm buying it, I've got to agree with you, and that," Will pointed to the pair. "Does not look good enough for you."

Nico crossed his arms. "Hold up. Who said you're buying it for me?" Nico jerked the skates in his hands. "Besides, these are the cheapest ones i could find with decent quality!"

Will smirked. "It's your first new pair. Of course I'm buying it for you. Anyway, take it as your birthday gift. Uncle gave me money to buy something for you."

"Oh right. My birthday." Nico said in realization. "Fine. What pair do you have in mind?"

Will smiled. From behind, he whipped out a black pair of skates with thin gold stripes. Will took a glance at the price tag.

"Expensive isn't it? The better the quality, the higher the price. This is why i said-"

"Nope! I have enough to buy you this pair." Will beamed and signalled to the attendant. "This pair please."

"That pair is of the highest quality, sir. It is also very expensive. If you, sir, are an amateur, may i suggest another pair, perhaps?" The attendant informed politely, and a little embarrassed.

"Oh no. This isn't for me. It's for him! He's a really good skater."

"What? No I'm not!" Nico's neck grew hot despite the chilly weather.

Ignoring Nico's statement, the attendant looked to Nico's old skates. "They look really small for you. You do need to get a new pair. A bit small for your feet, i presume?"

"I am small for my age, doesn't mean i can just grow taller." Nico muttered softly under his breath. "Yes. Indeed. I'm getting this pair then." Nico said louder to the attendant. 

"I'll wrap it up for you sir." The attendant rushed to pack the skates. 

"How much money did Dad give you anyway? That pair is obviously not cheap." Nico remarked. 

"A hundred." Will replied casually. "I don't think Uncle Hades hates you. Well not anymore at least."

"Whatever." Nico said shortly. He wasn't close to his father. And fine, maybe Hades didn't hate him, but at least he could show it.

"Here you go sir." The person handed him the package. Nico gave a quick bow of appreciation then hurriedly left the store along with Will.

“Wait no. Let’s stay here a while more.” Will stopped suddenly and returned to the store.

“Uh? Why?” Nico asked as Will grabbed his hand to pull him back in with him. “We should go home already.”

“Just five more minutes.” Will insisted, and Nico couldn’t help but relent.

“You haven’t told me why.”

“I’m forcing it into your brain that i’m the first person who got you your first skates.” Will beamed.

“Are you trying to prove your importance in my afterlife?” Nico asked.

“Maybe.” Will smirked. 

“Okay then i got it. You’re important alright? Now we can go home.” 

“Do you not like to spend time with me?” Will asked in all seriousness. 

“No! I mean, Dad’s just gonna kill me when he finds out what we’re doing!” Nico spluttered.

“And we’re buying your gift, like he wanted.” 

“I-i...fine.”

“And besides,” Will took a look at some random things. “I really want you to remember.”

Will exhaled deeply. “You’ll probably remember the next time you go skating. Or the next time you see the rink. Or when you pass by this store. Even maybe a year, fine, five, years from now. But ten years. By then you won’t even remember how this pair looks like.”

“Come on, Will. It’s just a pair of skates. And it’s not like i’ll forget even quicker if we don’t spend another five minutes here.” Will bristled slightly.

“Nah. You will.” Nico glared at him.

“Why do you-”

“Because.” Will cut him off, and Nico obediently shut up. “Just because.”

Nico crossed his arms in annoyance. But deep inside, he thought.

‘I’m pretty sure i’ll still remember this day ten years from now.’

“Alright let’s go.” Will smiled and looped arms with Nico, who yelped.

‘But slowly, little by little, I will surely forget. Like what i’m wearing right now. Or like what we’re gonna eat later. What i was bickering with him over.’

Realisation struck him. He was sure to forget everything, the small details first, then everything altogether.

“Wait Will!” Will turned back. “Let’s go back there for a while. It’s quite cold now, isn’t it?”

Nico really, really, really didn’t want to have to forget this one day.  
…

The rain had ceased and Nico slipped back into his wet jacket, holding his skates in a way that it wouldn't be dampened by the dripping water. 

"Here. Let me help you." Will brushed his fingers along Nico's to take the bag. Nico caught sight of Will's flaming red hot cheeks as he reached over. 

"Hey. Are you sick?" Nico raised his hand to feel Will's forehead. "Your skin's really hot."

"Uh no?" Will took the skates and drew back fast.

"Sorry. I mean, you were just...really red all over." Nico said stiffly.

"O-oh? Ah. Aha. Ahahahahaha." Will laughed awkwardly.

"Okay…" Nico raised an eyebrow. They ambled along in silence for a few long seconds.

"Also...long hair looks really cool on you." Will pointed out randomly. Nico swept his hair to the front and shook it. Will nodded. "Where'd you learn to tie it like that?"

"Tie it like this? Um...i saw the girls tie it like this and i was bored...and all the guys in class seemed to like it when girls had their hair like this...and it looked nice..." Nico answered honestly, and somehow, it sounded way more normal in his head rather than being said out. 

"The guys eh?" Will suggested, having grown yet again comfortable with the atmosphere. 

"Yeah... The guys."   
…

The next day, four days to Nico’s birthday, Will took Nico out to the park.

They found a bench under a tree, and the both of them sat down. 

"Why are we here?" Nico asked. 

"No reason." Nico looked at Will from the corner of his eye. 

"Right." Nico nodded. Totally normal, he thought to himself. "Anyway, thanks for the skates."

“You’ve thanked me a thousand times already.” Will informed, and leaned back, crossing his legs at the ankles. Then he sat back up and immediately began to swat at his arms.

“Ugh. Why are we even in the park anyway? Disgustingly blood-thirsty mosquitoes.” Nico shrugged and poked his shoulder.

“It was your idea.”

“It seemed like it would be decently breezy and i thought there won’t have been any mosquitoes.” Will scratched his arms incessantly. 

“They aren’t biting me though. I don’t think they like my blood.” Nico caught a bug between his fingers lightly and brought it near to his eyes. “I wonder why.”

“Animals never really liked you anyway.” Will stated plainly. 

“Ouch.” Nico deadpanned and released the bug from his grasp. It flew away at frightening speed. 

“Appears to be true though.” Will pointed out. Nico rolled his eyes, but didn’t even try to object. “Let’s go home. This place is seriously hot.”

“It’s nice here.” Nico said, and took the rubber band from his hand off to tie up his hair. Will looked to him.

“Are you serious, Nico di Angelo? It’s nice here?” Will’s eyes gleamed with incredulity. “It’s hot and mosquito-filled!”

“I’d prefer to be at the rink, but here is fine.” Nico frowned at Will. The wind picked up the barest bit of speed.

“Ugh fine. This park isn’t too bad and the flowers and blooming and the bees and pollinating and the plants are photosynthesising and this is totally the best place ever.” Will rambled.

“What are you talking about? Have you gone mad?” 

Will sighed. “No. I’m just trying to find the bright side in this godforsaken dried up field called a park.”

Nico snorted. “All right all right, Mr. Sunshine. Let’s go.”


	9. Chapter 9

Nico’s diary

...

Will and I began to walk back home this afternoon. It was hot and sunny, and as much as i would've hated to say this, the heat was getting to me. Will was walking ahead of me, being the really anxious one who desperately wanted to get out of here. Then, i don't really know why, but i really wanted to hold his hand. Not in the brother-y way. More like in a gay way.

Fine. Maybe i did know why. The reason was pretty obvious. And it would be to anyone else who knew about it-why am i even stalling?

Ok. Here goes nothing. I...Iiked Will. I really really really liked him. A lot. I had a huge crush on him since i first met him. But this time, i really didn't know why. Like i seriously, legitimately, actually didn't know why. 

Maybe it was his blue eyes or maybe because he was the first one who talked and opened up to me. Well either way, Will probably wouldn't ever even know about my huge secret crush. Unless i found the perfect opportunity to tell him of course. And even if that perfect opportunity did come, i needed to have the courage.

You see, it was all because of that stupid mistake i made when i was young. I really shouldn't have said that i didn't want to be brothers with him. 

Like i told Will many times already, i honestly did not mean it in the mean, hurtful way. After all, from what i gathered from young, siblings couldn't get married, and couldn't be couples. They couldn't be together and like each other romantically. 

Well, curse my dumb ass for saying that. All i was trying to say was that i at least wanted a chance to be Will's boyfriend when i was of appropriate age. Obviously, he didn't take it that well. And neither did Dad.

Can't really blame either of them. 

Anyway, it was getting really hot and i was trailing behind Will. Oh gods, i missed those days where i walked in front of him and where my legs were actually long enough to walk fast. Of course, my legs hadn't shrunk. More like Will had a serious growth spurt. 

Then the moment of my life i hadn't even wished for happened. He turned behind, sweat dripping down his back like rain. 

"Am i walking too fast for you?" Something sounded really familiar, like i had heard it somewhere before in my memory. 

Oh. My. Gods. Wasn't that what i said to him before? All those years ago? When i first met him? I momentarily lost my ability to speak.

Will remembered that same question? How could it be? He never had good memory, and he had said so himself.

I couldn't speak, so i shook my head. The exact same movement he did when he was seven.

"Then come walk beside me." Will stopped and gestured. I didnt move. So now what? Were we reliving the moment like those old aged couples? Or did he just say that because it was the first thing that came to mind? Was this a one-off thing or was i supposed to continue?

Random lesson here. The thing about Will is that he is very vague. And he isn't the type to really explain or say it directly. Most of the time, he'd just do something and expect you to understand. 

Like for example, if he wanted to apologise, he'd likely just buy you back the thing he broke that was yours.

And if the thing he broke couldn't be bought back, he'd hide himself in his room for a week, or he would give you a bunch of money.

Back to current situation.

By right, if we were following through with that seven-year-old memory mindset, i was to ask him his favourite colour.

"So uh...what's your favourite colour?" I shrugged and asked, then realised how flippant i sounded. 

But it didn't quite matter, seeing that Will responded. "The colour of sunshine."

I made a face. So was he supposed to answer his answers or my answers? Guess it was the former then. 

"Sunshine? It doesn't have a colour." I said.

"I...like it though?" 

"Uh...sure." Great job di Angelo. Now you're gonna burden yourself with the task of finding something the colour of 'sunshine' for his birthday and simultaneously think up some perfect way such that he doesn't know you were the one who got it. And now, what am i supposed to get? The sun? Come on, Nico.

"Ok then what's your favourite game..?" 

"Don't really play games anymore." I opened my mouth to argue that of course he must play games at his age, but i had to remind myself that he wasn't exactly seven or eight anymore. 

"Oh." I couldn't carry on the conversation anymore. According to what we did, Will would go on to tell me that he missed his family and would cry lots. And he couldn't cry on command. 

"I miss my family." Will suddenly said. I made a face.

"Are we really gonna continue this conversation like that?" I asked.

Then Will followed that with a small, short laugh. "You mean that conversation from when i was seven?"

"Yeah that one. Duh." I only just realised how weird i must have sounded, saying it like i was that know-it-all.

"I dunno. But i really do still miss my family. It's my anniversary tomorrow." Oh right. I had almost forgotten about it. But it truly meant a lot to Will, and it showed.

"Are you gonna go to the surface to meet them in spirit then?"

"Yeah i suppose." I shivered. His low voice always managed to give me goosebumps. It was unlike my flat, monotone one. I never quite seemed to get around the need to have expression in tone; it seemed like an utter waste of energy to me. But Will...it was like he wasn't even trying.

I didn't really remember much after that. 

But i did remember something.

And that 'something' has fucked me up so bad.

So. Fucking. Bad.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry guys I uploaded the wrong chapter previously. This is the correct one. Hope y'all like it!

Nico's diary pt. 2

…

So, we were walking back home yes? Right. Then, just out of nowhere, there was this really strong gale. Elysium was strange like that. The weather could change as and when. It usually took a while for the new ghosts to get used to.

Notice that i said ghost. Thing is, mortals have this really warped mindset about death and afterlife. Yes, we were ghosts, but that didn't really make us less human, other than not being able to die again.

Ghosts aren't transparent. They are fully opaque, not this wafty misty image thing. Mind my language, but that is just utter bullshit.

Another weird tale; that Elysium is a perfect life to live. Yes, it is mostly peaceful, but it doesn't stop the occasional rift or dispute. It's kinda like...you don't really need to earn money, work hard, whatever.

Everything is a choice. To go to school or not. To work or not. To whatever or not whatever. Though other than that, it was not that special. It was your choice to bully, but not your choice whether or not you get bullied. In a sense, it's kinda having lots of freedom. It can be one's dream, but it can be another's hell.

I suppose that's where Elysium isn't so perfect. Not everyone thinks alike; everyone has their own views.

Lord Hades should have taken that into consideration.

Back to the gale.

I had gotten pretty used to the strong winds by then. Seventeen full years spent in that heaven, or 'heaven', and if by then i was still acting like a wimp, then i really didn't deserve Elysium.

But anyway, gales like that, and they never came often. It was usually a sign from Lord Hades that winter was coming. I shrugged, and took it in my stride.

Will was by my side, and every few seconds, the gale would blow so hard Will would sway to hit my shoulder. One may have thought that with the build of an archer, Will should have been more steady on his feet.

Well then Will was just the type not to go along with stereotypes.

Will turned to me when he hit me, and he laughed softly. Pink coloured his cheeks, and I felt it colour mine too.

Then the gale just stopped. Like literally. One minute it was blowing. The other it wasn't. I was a little put off, and slightly disheartened. I was beginning to get used to Will's shoulder touch.

But then, the oddest thing ever happened. The sky began to darken. And the weirder part was that i was pretty sure it was still daytime.

"What the fuck is happening?" I whispered.

"An eclipse?" Will beside me breathed out, and i just remember the flustered feeling that churned my stomach.

"Yeah...seems reasonable i guess." I managed, which by the way, was a pretty great feat. I mean, just try breathing beside your crush. It's fucking hard.

"What type?" I asked, and i looked down. Holding his stare was quite a distraction.

And then his hands enveloped mine. I made a soft noise. What was happening? Was this simply an act between brothers? Or was it like i hoped?

"Not too sure. I never even knew eclipses worked in Elysium."

Will didn't give away any clue about the hand-holding, so i naturally assumed he was really just overjoyed about seeing an eclipse happen.

The sky slowly bled black. Last thing i saw, everyone else was standing still and looking up while shielding their eyes. I even saw Reyna somewhere near the back.

And i couldn't see anymore. All i could do was feel. Even if only for a few seconds.

So i did.

And I felt possibly the most heartbreaking feeling i would ever feel in my entire fucking afterlife.

The feeling of Will's hand slipping away from mine. He just...let go of my hand. And that was that. No words. No explanation. Nothing. I moved my eyes away from my hand.

All this happened in probably a second, and the sky was still covered in that carpet of blackness.

But they always say, to make reaching the highest point worth it, one must go through the worst, then he can truly appreciate the highest.

Another long one second passed, and then a third, but no 'highest' seemed to occur.

Expect the unexpected, i told myself. Which, by the way, is one fucked up saying. I mean, if i can expect what's not supposed to be expected, then the unexpected really is expected isn't it?

Anyway, away from that crap.

I stood in silence for another second. Five seconds now.

Eclipses were around ten seconds or so in Elysium, i guessed, because Lord Hades liked to make these once in a lifetime things longer.

Six seconds, four to go.

Then it happened.

I felt a warm hand touch my face between my ear and nose, and that tingling sensation stroked my cheekbone.

I didn't even have a second to think.

As the sky began to brighten, a warm feeling pressed against my lips.

And as sudden as it was, it left. My accelerated heart rate kind of just...died down.

Was i just...kissed? I opened my eyes.

Nothing. There was no one. No one in front of me.

Will…

"Will? Where are you?" I recalled calling out. I hadn't even been able to feel much. I didn't not like it, though. I did! I really did. But I didn't know why he did it. Did he like me back? Or what? Was he trying to play with me and my feelings? Did he even know that i liked him?

Maybe i had too high, or great expectations, but all i had was a short kiss on the lips. Sweet, but short.

And surprising.

Ten seconds was up. The eclipse was over. My first kiss was over.

And i still didn't even know if Will liked me back.


	11. Chapter 11

Nico's hands went limp by his side. Where was Will? Had he abandoned him?

Tears stung his eyes. Now what?

Why...did Will do that? Why would Will kiss him and leave him hanging? Nico glared at everyone around him, intense hatred burning within his soul.

He closed his eyes, and squeezed them shut. Then he opened them in a flash and began to walk away.

Did Will really think it was a good idea to mess with him like that?

Nico decided not to return home. All Hades would do was scold him for being such a nuisance.

Nico let his feet lead him somewhere. Anywhere.

He didn't even know where he was going, but he trusted his legs to bring him to a place he'd have liked.

He found himself outside a music shop. He had simmered down a little by then.

Oh dear, Nico thought. Had he overreacted? What if Will had just gone to the washroom? Or what if he was still there but Nico didn't notice him? Oh gods.

He shook his head and sighed softly to himself. Nothing he could do about that now.

The bright flashy lights of the music store caught his attention. It set off a little bell in his head.

That's right. Will had wanted to join the choir but then Nico's impulsive actions had caused them to drop out of school.

He pushed open the door and went in. There were a huge selection of cds, effect pedals, strings, instruments, speakers and so on, but just one thing stood out to him.

It was a deep purple microphone. And it was expensive, so Nico guessed it must be one of the better ones. Nico didn't really know too much about singing and such, but he had been around long enough to know that the more expensive something was, the better quality it should be. And besides, he could always ask for a refund if it wasn't up to standard.

It looked so exquisite Nico, a person who didn't even sing, wanted to buy it. Not for himself; he wasn't too much into singing (pretty obvious), but he knew Will was.

But he stopped himself. No. He felt he should still be mad at Will. He had, by now, been convinced that Will indeed hadn't been there. He had gone off to somewhere.

Now he was sure. He recalled looking around, all 360 degrees. So no, there couldn't have been a chance that Will had been there.

And, if Will had gone to the washroom, he would've called by now asking his whereabouts. Nico took out his phone. No missed calls.

Damn it, Will. Nico thought bitterly to himself. Why the hell do i even like you?

So now Nico could conclude Will had indeed ditched him and left him at the park in the middle of nowhere.

But something felt a little weird. Why would Will kiss him? It couldn't have been an accident; Nico was sure of that.

And it couldn't not be Will. Nico knew exactly how Will's large palms felt like, and the fact that it was touching his face didn't make a difference.

Oh gods Will! Nico screamed mentally. What on earth was with Will and his vagueness? Would it really harm him to be more...firm about it?

Nico crossed his arms. But then he uncrossed them so he take hold the mic. Perhaps it wasn't that bad of an idea to buy it… and maybe when he was calm enough he would give it to Will.

Maybe, he told himself, but he knew he would give in ultimately and probablt give it to Will buy the end of the day.

If Nico had one weakness, it was Will Solace. Will freaking Solace. The boy that gave him skeletal butterflies. The one with the blue eyes. The one with the blonde hair.

He took it off the shelf and strolled slowly over to the cashier. With a thin lipped smile, he handed over the his cashcard and outstretched his palm to collect it back.

"Carrier for you, sir?" The cashier asked.

"No thank you." He replied, took the mic in its box and hurried back home.

…

When he got home, Will was sitting at the table already, his dinner half-eaten. He sent Nico a pained look, and Nico returned it with a blank, emotionless face.

The raging feelings flooded his soul again. Nico balled his fist around the box in his hands.

"We will not speak of that again, alright Uncle?" Will tore his eyes away from Nico. Hades nodded.

"I hope you'll think yourself out of it, but...alright." Nico followed along with the conversation, confused. What were they talking about?

"What is it?" Nico asked warily. "What were you two talking about?"

Hades didn't betray anything, but Will looked uncomfortable. "It's...nothing really."

Nico's frown deepened. "It's not nothing. Something is obviously not right." Nico insisted, and a part of him just wilted seeing that Will appeared to totally ignore the fact that he had just left Nico hanging a few hours back.

Hades spoke up this time. "Don't pry, Nico. It...will turn out just fine." He said.

Nico glared at him. "Yeah right. I'm not so stupid as to believe that." Nico took a deep breath. The next day was the day Will was allowed to go to the surface to his grave. Nico didn't want Will to have any sour feelings when he was there.

"But...i guess i can't really convince you to tell me anyway." Nico relented finally.

Hades nodded gravely.

"Well...i ate dinner already. If there's nothing else, i am gonna go up."

"Nico, wait." Will grabbed his hand. Nico's whole body froze, just like when Will kissed him earlier. "I'm sorry."

Nico pulled his hand away, and a lump rose up his throat.

"Shut up." Nico said in a small voice, and Will let go of Nico's palm. After all i did, why. Why would you do this to me? You broke my heart, and all you can say is sorry? I hate it. I hate you. No. I hate not hating you. This is so stupid. And so. Damn. Pointless.

"Nico. I'm sorry. I really am." Will pleaded.

"What for?" Hades interjected, and for the first time Nico had ever witnessed, Will ignored him. Hades looked to be utterly lost.

"I...fine. Doesn't matter." Nico ran up the stairs and jumped onto his bed face first. His nose hurt slightly from the impact. What was he to think? Did he even want to think?

He didn't know what to feel. Should he feel hurt? Sad? Defeated? Upset? Angry?

But no. None of those described what he felt.

For he didn't feel anything. He felt numb, immune to emotions, and he wished he could feel something.

He would have gone to the moon and back to feel something. Anything other than that persistent, irrational love.

He flopped onto his back and reached for a paper. Then he took a pen.

He sat up on his bed, and began to scribble horrible, mean, hurtful things he should feel. And he could almost convince himself to feel that way.

You stupid moron! Useless space. A terrible waste of energy. Can't you just scram? He wrote. Would it really hurt that much to pretend you love me back?! Disgusting. I. Hate. That. You. Make. Me. Feel. This. Way. Will. Solace. Fucked up bitch. He scratched it hard into the paper, and it tore a small hole in the centre.

Then he crushed it, and hurled it hard at the wall. It bounced off and left a little mark, then dropped to the ground. It felt...quite good. But that was only for a fleeting moment, before it was back to his own feelingless world.

He lay back down on his bed, and his heartbeat slowed, as though it were drowsy.

His eyes shut slowly, and his world faded to black.


	12. Chapter 12

Nico woke up rather late the next day. Will had already gone to his grave. Nico had originally thought of sneakily following him, but he felt as though someone had injected some drowsy medicine into his system that made him sleep.

He even remembered to set the alarm for five in the morning. Yet somehow, he managed to sleep in till about twelve in the afternoon. He had the entire day to himself. 

He ambled down the steps and gave Hades a curt nod of acknowledgement. He was still secretly wondering about what it was they had been discussing the night before when he came home.

And Nico, although now much more level headed and calm, still had the lingering remnants of his bitterness from the previous day.

Hades slid a plate of toast across the table to him. "Will made this for you before he headed up."

Nico bit into it, and chewed it thoughtfully. "Did Will bring whatever he wanted to?"

Hades tapped his fingers on the table. "Yeah…" 

Nico made a face. Hades wasn't the kind to do these so-called 'frivolous' finger-tapping actions. Or maybe Nico just never noticed.

Nico swallowed. "Well...then I'm gonna go up to take my skates. I'll see if the rink's open today."

Hades nodded, and exhaled heavily. Nico eyed Hades get up and turn around to go to the kitchen to do the dishes. 

Will usually helped with these household things along with Hades, and in a flash, Nico realised that while Will had always thought of himself as a freeloader, Nico really was the one who never offered to lift a finger and help out with anything.

"Dad...need help with those?" Nico tried awkwardly.

"No...it won't be the same as Will." Nico was quite bruised by this comparison, but as sad as it was, Nico was used to it. He had been compared to 'Bianca' time and time again before.

So this time, he shrugged and didn't insist. He stuffed the rest of the toast into his mouth and climbed up the stairs.   
…

The rink happened to be open. He greeted the sullen receptionist with an equally glum face. But her face brightened when she saw his new skates.

"Are those new?" Nico nodded. He wanted to say his brother bought them for him, but it wasn't really any of her business. His face darkened further.

"Yeah." He replied shortly. She looked to have taken the cue, but she still spoke her mind anyway. 

"About time. Those old ones would've killed your feet sooner or later." Nico stretched the corners of his lips to form a long thin line.

You see, whenever there was no answer to a statement, Nico's go-to movement was that expression. His classmates, those that were actually friends with him, liked to joke that his face would get stuck in that position one day. 

Nico snorted, but a small smile found its way onto his face

He fingered his phone in his pocket. He hadn't been in contact with them since he left school. And he hadn't even notified them prior to it.

Perhaps he had been way too occupied with Will. Nico sighed. There had been so many things he had neglected because he was attending to Will. His homework, his school life, his social life, his well-being, the interview for that one part-time job he applied for ages ago...

He really needed a life outside of love.

Nico glanced up to the ceiling, thinking maybe those above the surface could possibly offer him some sort of useful advice.

He closed his eyes and muttered some self-meditating italian phrases.

"Are you alright?" Nico snapped back to reality. "I asked you where you got your skates."

Nico stared at her, his bitter mood turned sour. "None of your business." He mumbled.

"Rude." She scoffed, and returned to her work. 

Nico, while he knew it was immature, mimicked her moves behind her back childishly. 

‘Annoying moron,’ he told himself, ‘she’s probably down here ‘cause she died from choking on a meatball or something.’

He turned slipped into his skates and stepped into the rink. It was cold and chilly, somehow colder than it had ever been without Will. Nico put on his black fingerless gloves, and felt his fingertips turn red from the cold. His cheeks went numb, but he loved the sensation. It felt like ice and snow mixed together to slice at his face.

The cold sucked the little moisture right out of his lips.

Two figure skaters zoomed past him. He wondered if he'd ever manage to get Will to a level of decency where he was able to pair-skate with him. 

Nico decided to ask him when he came back later. Thinking about that, Nico also made up his mind to apologise for acting rashly the previous day. 

He smiled a little, and allowed his feet to glide him into the middle of the rink.   
…

At around seven, Nico returned home, perspiration rolling down his temples like silver beads.

He set his skates down on the couch and entered the kitchen. Hades was standing there, in front of the stove, mindlessly cleaning the sink.

"Dad?" Nico called and Hades’ head poked out from the kitchen partition. 

"Will?" 

"No. It's Nico." Nico corrected. 

"Oh. It's you." Hades breathed out, like it was some bad thing. 

Yeah no shit it was him, Nico thought, and exhaled, exhausted from his day of practice.

He poured himself a glass of water and rested his hip against the counter. A couple of ladles and cutlery clanged.

"Did you go skating today?" Nico was startled by the question. Hades wasn't the chatty type, and besides, there was still that lingering enmity between them.

"Yeah. I already told you." 

"Oh did you now?" Hades mumbled, a little snarkily.

"Yes i did." Nico frowned. "Anyway…" Nico continued, hopefully easing the tension. "Will should be home soon right?"

Hades nodded drowsily. "Should be…"

Nico raised an eyebrow and took a sniff at his father's clothes. "Are you drunk?"

Hades shook his head, but there were a few empty glass bottles on the table. "Just had one or two bottles."

Nico walked over to the counter and swished a bottle about. 

"Come on!" Nico grumbled. 

He dragged Hades by the hand out of the kitchen, and sat him down on the sofa.

Hades gestured to his slates by the side. "Are those new?" For a second, he sounded so sober Nico wondered if he really was drunk.

"Yeah." Nico took a deep breath and made a faint movement with his hands. "Will got them for me."

"Will…" Hades drawled.

"Yep. Your favourite son." Nico added a matter-of-factly.

"Favourite son?" Hades made a confused look, then continued to lie silently on the sofa.

Nico shrugged, and sat on the couch beside Hades, and waited for Will to come back.


	13. Chapter 13

"Will should be back by now." Nico fretted. Hades looked uncomfortable.

"He should be…" Nico muttered. It was almost midnight. "Where is he?" He mumbled to himself.

Nico paced back and forth, along the side of the table. He drew his lower lip in between his teeth, and wrung his hands.

Something seemed a little off. Will was the punctual type. Well, it was usually Nico who was timely, but Will never dared to push the limits too far.

Nico turned to Hades, and he put his hands on the side table where they were at. Hades backed away slightly.

"Dad. Do you know where Will is?" Hades looked away, and said something inarticulate under his breath.

"Dad." Hades didn't say anymore, and tried to reach for a beer. Nico's heartbeat shot up. Something was wrong for sure. Something was definitely wrong.

"Dad!" Nico jolted Hades by the shoulders and slapped his cheeks not-so-lightly.

"Dad! Where is he?! Where's Will?!" He shouted urgently. If Will was out too late, the doors would close. And then there was no coming back.

"Dad!" He slapped Hades' face much harder now. Hades stared at Nico, but his eyes didn't lock.

"Son…" Hades said in a small voice. "Will...he left."

Nico stopped shaking Hades. "He...what?"

Nico let Hades go. "What do you mean he left?!"

"Dad." Nico said, keeping his breath as steady as possible. "Where. Is. Will."

"He left! He forced rebirth!" Hades yelled.

Nico fell back into the couch. Will...he did what?

"He's walking on the surface right now with the memories of life here and the solid, human form of his body!" Hades said, and began to cry softly. Nico just focused on his breathing.

"I already warned him…i already warned him!" Hades wailed at himself.

The clock struck twelve. There was no hope left.

"H-he forced rebirth? H-how could he?" Nico whispered, getting dangerously louder. "I don't believe you. I don't believe Will is up there."

Hades pulled Nico's sleeve and arm. "Nico. It's true...He really went to the surface."

"So this is what you were talking about last night, weren't you?" Hades nodded.

"But you promised! You promised he would be fine!" Nico exploded once more. "You said it was all right! You said nothing was wrong! That was why i didn't ask!"

Hades gripped him tight but Nico wrenched his arm away, his sweat turned cold. "Don't touch me."

"Son… it sucks but that's his wish. He wanted to be free. That was the only reason as to why i even suggested it…"

"You suggested it!" Nico screamed in fury. "You SUGGESTED it?"

Nico balled his fists. "You motherfucking moron!"

Hades buried his head in his fists and his entire body shook with cries. Nico stopped this outburst and uncurled his hands

Nico shook his head, and tears began to fall in silence. "I don't believe you. I don't believe that Will would do that…"

Nico fell to his knees and grabbed Hades' hands, absolutely contradictory to his former statement. "Dad please...come on. Tell me where he really is."

Hades shook his head. Nico started to cry harder, and he was angry at himself for doing so. "Please! Dad! Tell me where Will is...please Dad…"

Hades just continued to stay quiet.

Nico let go of Hades and sniffed loudly, then wiped the tears away from his eyes. "I-I'll go to sleep. A-and then, tomorrow, you'll tell me where Will is. Alright Dad."

Hades looked up and attempted to talk him out of it, but Nico didn't listen. It seemed he never did anymore. There was one period of time, that he changed a little, but here he was, changing back to his old self.

Nico unsuccessfully tried over and over again to wipe away the continuous stream of tears. Up in his room, he cried himself to sleep. He had never need to do that. Exhaustion itself usually wore him out enough.

But today, he just let each tear come and go, come and go. Maybe deep inside he was telling himself that Will wasn't really gone.

…

"Nico? Come down for breakfast." Hades called wearily. Nico trodded down the steps.

"Is Will back?" He asked.

"No. But-"

"Why isn't he back? It's been a day!" Nico kicked the table in frustration.

"Don't kick my table young man." Hades warned

"I do what i like." Nico glared. "Where is Will!?"

"He's not here! I already told you! He forced rebirth!" Hades yelled, likely tired at his son's shit.

"He would never!" Nico shouted desperately.

"That's what he did alright! Stop pestering me!"

"But Will…" Nico felt his voice become thicker.

"Can you just shut up!?" Hades roared. "I wish Will were here instead of you!"

The house became deadly silent; so silent they could both hear each other's heartbeats.

"YOU THINK I DON'T WISH SO TOO?!" Nico screamed back.

He hurled the flower vase on the coffee table across the living room, and it shattered upon hitting the wall. Nico screamed angrily, yelling out strings of curses even Hades didn't understand in Italian.

He threw a porcelain paperweight at the door, and perhaps that made the most pleasant sound of shattering Nico ever heard. Everything was reduced to shards.

The glass was all over the ground. There was nothing left to throw, to vent at, to scream and shout at.

"Nico listen. I'm so-"

"You're sorry?" Nico said in a deathly whisper. "Sorry?! YOU told him to reborn! You knew this would happen! And what did you do while this all played out?"

Nico walked to Hades and grabbed him by the collar. He jabbed at his chest.

"What did you do? You sat at home, drinking your stupid bottles of beer. You kept quiet about it. You didn't even care!"

Nico sent a slap across his face, and Hades' sweat mixed with his tears. Hades' face contorted with pain.

One or two slaps were bearable, but dealt at the same spot with increasing amounts of power on top of having to deal with the loss of a son was not easy to deal with.

"You are such a useless father you know that!? You can't even care for your son! This must be why Will decided to run away too!" Nico cried, saying the most horrible things that weren't even true.

Hades remained his silent game. He didn't speak a single word. He knew he started it all. And Nico was rightfully enraged. Maybe he forgot to take into consideration that an angry Nico was one of the worst things to have to face.

"I-i...i don't know what to say…" Hades pleaded.

Satisfied, Nico pushed Hades against the wall and ran out the front door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dont hate me thanks


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [[If you don't wanna read the entire chunk of stuff, it's just me telling you I'll be writing the sequel around March to April. Love y'all]]
> 
> Hey guys. Just wanted to say the prequel is ending! Thanks to all those who have been reading and for all your support for this story. Thanks to all those who took the time to feedback and HAHA i know I've accidentally posted the wrong chapter many times XD. But yeah.
> 
> Also, I'm taking a hiatus so i can write 'Will Solace, William Solace' better and think it out through. I've been overworking myself out this past 9+ months pushing out the 4 stories I've made. Maybe i was hungry for improvement (i read my old stories and OH GOD THE CRINGE) and yeah, i did improve, but i guess it's time to stop for a while.
> 
> I don't usually write A/Ns unless at the end of the story, but i suppose i wanted some sort of vague connection with my readers. I love to write and won't ever not write (sorry haters) and I've kinda been into anime recently. I will return to write the story later. In a while. I guess. Around end of March. Yep. Around there.
> 
> Stay safe. Don't get sick. Continue to love Solangelo <3

Nico ran to the harbour and toward the railing. He stopped just before he fell over. The clouds seemed to mock him, and the seas appeared to laugh at his pleas.

For probably the tenth time those two days, Nico screamed at the sky above him. He screamed out to the vast endless ocean before him.

"You think this is funny, Solace?! Huh? Is this some kind of joke!? Are you trying to play with me?" He shouted.

Nico felt sobs building up inside of him again, but he couldn't cry. He couldn't let it out.

"Is this my fault!? Is it something i did?! Tell me Will! Don't be a coward! Tell me what i did wrong! I-i can change!" Nico yelled.

A gale made him unsteady on his two feet.

"It's not funny Will...come back." Nico's voice broke. "Please come back. Please come back Will."

The seagulls squawking obliviously. Children turned to look at him as he cursed and swore loudly. Most of them were alone. Their parents hadn't died. They were down here, in Elysium, with no one but themselves.

"I didn't even get to tell you you were a good brother." Nico said hoarsely, his voice tired from strain. "I didn't even tell you what you meant to me…"

Nico hit the railing. "Is this the price? Huh, Will? And what was with the kiss? Was it because of that that you left?!"

Nico's nose hurt. "You told me I was your world. In all those countless birthday cards I refused to read."

Nico felt dizzy from so much screaming and shouting and yelling. But what else could he do other than continue?

"You said i was your world." Nico gripped the railing tight. "But I saw galaxies in your eyes. So...so...so many galaxies."

The wind blew through his hair. It sent chills down his spine.

"What's a world in a universe?"

Nico's legs weakened, and they buckled under him.

"Is this it!? Is this the end? Is there no more? Was there really not meant to be anything? Was kissing me that big a mistake?"

He fell to the floor. He was so damn tired. His heels rolled back, and he sat on the ground, defeated. So this was it.

No more pair skating. No more apologies. No more nights thinking up confessions. No more cute nights, lying on his bed, thinking about Will. No more eating his breakfast. No more. Nothing. Nothing at all.

Nico hugged his knees close to his chest, and wrapped his arms around his legs. He had never felt that vulnerable since he was a young child.

Nico had asked for something to feel, and there he had it. All the pain and sadness and anger in the world to feel. Like the burden of Atlas upon his shoulders, the pain was all his burden to bear.

He got what he asked for.

"Is...this how your world of feelings felt like?" Nico murmured, talking to himself. "Is this how feelings feel like?" He asked louder.

Silence. No one responded. The children continued to stare and look, and the passersby all gave him a wide berth. Sandcastles were half made, still in progress, but their owners stopped building. The rustling of newspapers appeared ten times louder in the silence.

"Because if this...this stupid, wretched, cursed feeling, is how feelings feel like, I'd rather not feel at all. And if this is how it feels, then maybe, just maybe, I can understand why you'd leave me here."

Nico took a deep breath. "Cos it sucks! It hurts to know that I could have stopped this, but I didn't! I let it all slip by! I didn't even get to say I was sorry!" Nico clenched his fists.

"How," Nico breathed out heavily, his chest exhausted from keeping him alive. "Did you survive this long?"

Nico stood up, and the joints between his legs popped. Everyone looked at him, like they were ready to run forward to catch him if he fell. Understandable, really. He looked like the Walking Dead.

"I-i gave you all my time...and a-all of my love." Nico pointed at himself, while shouting out to the surface.

"Th-this isn't supposed to be my repayment! This isn't how it's supposed to end! This isn't what I was promised!"

Nico's whole body convulsed in shakes, but not a single tear fell. "It's all my fault...I should have known. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I shouldn't have pushed you away."

"I'm sorry alright Will?! For whatever I did! I'm so fucking sorry! J-just...please come back...don't leave me here...i-i don't want to be alone again…" Nico rocked himself back and forth on the balls of his feet. He took in a deep shuddering breath.

"Honestly Solace, screw you. Go fuck yourself. What made you think you could just leave me? And what made you think listening to Dad was a good idea? He probably just wanted you gone!" Nico screamed in frustration.

People murmured among themselves; possibly about the tragedy of the young man before them.

But Nico wasn't taking this shit. Pushing them aside, Nico made his way to the one place he knew Will would have been to before he left.

…

"Will?" Nico nodded miserably. The receptionist put a finger under her chin. "I mean, he was here yesterday."

"Yeah. I knew he'd have been here."

"Why are you suddenly asking? Is this some sort of chasing thing?" She sullenly asked.

"I-what? What do you mean?" Nico's head snapped up.

"Hades is here too. I thought when you came you were looking for him or something."

Nico raised his eyebrows. "Hades is here?"

"Yeah." She scoffed. "Not the Lord. Like...your dad."

"Some kind of father he is." Nico mumbled under his breath. "Well, I was looking for Will. Not him."

"Is he missing or something?"

"Hades? No, he's rig-"

"No. Will."

"Ah...he…um...he..." Nico felt the lump rise in his throat, like he was about to cry again. "He…"

"Um...you don't have to tell me." She backed away. "It seems pretty difficult to come to terms with."

"It's not!" Nico retorted. "Okay fine. It's...been pretty rough."

She raised her eyebrows, and bent down to put back a pair of rented skates. "Right."

"It's hard alright? Geez...Are you happy now?" Nico glared at her.

"Oh my god. What did I do?" She sighed. "Whatever it is, Hades is in the rink."

Nico heard a loud thump of the ice followed by a groan. "Yep. Definitely Hades." Nico mumbled.

"I'd better go see what he's up to." Nico scooted away.

"Yeah. And Nico?" She called. Nico turned around as he was about to go on the ice. "I'm sorry about whatever happened."

"I'm not gonna say no problem since it really is a cause for concern but ok." Nico smiled.

"And...you needa wear your skates before I can allow you into the rink." Nico looked down at his feet and rolled his eyes.

He stopped, rushing to a bench to put on his skates.

...

He entered the rink just as Hades fell flat on his face.

"These knife shoes…" Nico heard him mutter.

"What are you doing here?" Nico hissed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. Hades didn't hear him. "Dad! Why're you here?"

Hades drifted forward a few inches then waved his arms about to regain his balance. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Avoiding." Nico snapped. "You look exactly like you're trying to avoid the incident altogether."

"Are you not too?" Hades' top lip curled upwards into a snarl.

"No. I've been dealing with it." Nico said defensively.

"Oh you really believe that don't you? Or do you?"

"At least I'm not denying it happened." Nico took a deep breath and pushed himself forward in a circle around Hades.

Hades turned a half circle to meet Nico's gaze, but he turned too much and fell on the ground again. Hades cursed softly, just loud enough for Nico to hear, and picked himself up.

"At least I didn't cause this. Like, I wasn't the one who suggested it to him." Nico began.

Hades tried unsuccessfully to get a single word in.

"At least I didn't send him to the surface. At least I didn't convince him to go on the run on the surface. At least I didn't lie to myself that it was all gonna be fine."

Hades opened his mouth to argue, but Nico shut him down even before he could say anything.

"At least I wasn't the one who kept it a secret. At least I didn't hide it from anyone. It's not like I'm the one who hid it from my son."

At the opportunity, Hades jumped in. "Ok! I get it!" Hades sighed. "What do you want from me!? I was just trying to do the right thing as a father!"

"Totally turned out right." Nico said snidely.

"You wanna try being a father then?" Hades sighed and pressed his eyebrows together in forced concentration. "Look. I was doing my best at giving my children what they wanted."

"Guess what? You've just lost both in the process! I'm leaving!" Nico yelled in the heat of the moment.

"You...what?" Hades demanded, his feet tripping over each other clumsily on the ice..

"I'm leaving!" Nico said more resolutely this time. That's right. He could leave. He could go to the surface. He could go look for Will on his own!

"You can't! I'm not letting you! I'm not losing another son!"

"You never really took me for your son anyway did you?" Nico mocked.

"That's not the point! Besides, I did take you for my son. Whether or not you took me for your father...now that's a different matter altogether."

"Oh. Back to the manipulative self isn't it?"

"Holy f...I totally need to bring you to the mental institute." Hades shook his head.

"If you can get me." Nico glided gracefully to the exit. He made a face both at Hades and the receptionist and proceeded to quickly remove his skates. He kept them in his bag, and hurried out of the rink.

He could still hear Hades shouting for him to return and Nico couldn't help but think maybe Hades was right. Maybe Nico was the 'bad guy' in this story. Maybe Nico had really failed to see how Hades had changed.

Maybe Nico wasn't so right after all. And yet what was he doing now? Running away. As he always did. Like the coward he was.

"Not so perfect huh, di Angelo." Nico muttered to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please give any ideas for the sequel. I'm currently open to ideas :)
> 
> Also, thanks to those who commented. I'll try to improve <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. I've decided that i would be changing the name of this story so if you decide to look for it but cant find it by this name, you can just look for my account username and it will be there :D
> 
> Also, for the sequel, i really dont like putting less than 2000 words per chapter, and i feel you all deserve so much more after waiting for the inconsistent uploading of chapter. So i will finish this fanfic up (one or two chapters left) and then it will be back to the >2000 word minimum yes?

Nico kicked the door open with his foot. It flew open with a loud hit against the wall. Nico winced slightly.

Then he remembered the purpose for coming home. So he could pack his stuff and go to the surface (which was, by the way, against the rules in the Underworld).

Nico couldn't believe he was following through with his plan. Nico wanted to stop for a second and think. He was, perhaps, afraid he would regret this soon.

But there wasn't really much time for thinking now was there? If he packed fast enough, he could be just on time to slip out.

So here was the plan. He would go to the gates and hopefully manage to convince the guard that he had a reason to leave. Then, if the guard didn't let him, he'd…check out his options.

So, in other words, the plan was not that well developed. But oh well, Nico would continue to solidify the plan as he went along.

Nico stuffed a black sweater and a pair of grey socks into his sling bag. He prayed to Will that he'd manage to leave.

He threw out everything in his way, and his wardrobe was a mess by the time he managed to find his other pair of black fingerless gloves. He turned on the light in the closet and took his skates. He couldn't just leave them behind.

He tossed his skates into his bag and hoped the edges were properly covered. He didn't want to have any of his clothing torn.

With a grim face, Nico lowered the bag onto his shoulder. He pulled open the drawer under his bed. There was his secret stash of biscuits and snacks.

Nico swiped a few packets of crackers. He had heard that it was a long journey from the gates to the surface.

Nico left his bag on the ground and ran down to fill a bottle of water to drink along the way.

He was already halfway down the stairs when he heard the door downstairs click open. Nico froze. Hades was back.

Nico hurriedly turned back to run up to his room. He shut the door as fast as he could, and locked it.

Stealthily, Nico pounced onto his bed to prevent making sound.

"Nico? Come down here." Hades panted audibly. It was only when Nico really needed to be quiet that he realised how loud his breathing was.

He dove under the covers. Maybe that would soften the sound.

He heard Hades grunting as he sat down on the chair. "Nico di Angelo! You better come down now!" Hades demanded.

Nico didn't even make the slightest movement, nor did he do much as flinch. There was no real reason for Nico to be afraid anyway. Hades would be out in one blow should the two of them fight.

The bed creaked softly as Nico brought in his legs.

Hades went on to talk. Nico silently made a face. If Hades were to continue talking, he could be there for hours.

His leg began to already numb from lack of blood flow. He wriggled his toes to try to direct the blood in that direction. It wasn't working

Nico moved a little to make himself comfortable, but as he did so, the house key in his pocket fell out to the ground.

It collided with the wooden floor, and the metal keys clanged jarringly against each other.

Nico stiffened. The sound of the key dropping echoed in his head loudly.

Hades stopped his ramble. Nico curled into an even tighter ball. Hades couldn't find him now. Not after he was so prepared. Or ready.

The familiar sound of the creaking of stairs seemed to amplify with each step Hades took. Maybe even the wooden floor was helping him mask the sound of his own pounding heartbeat.

Nico uncomfortably stretched out his feet so that he was flat beneath the duvet.

His bare feet crushed a paper beneath it. He lowered his chin to look down to see what that paper was.

Nico's blood turned to ice.

It was the note. That note. The slip of paper he had left. Written on it being all the things Nico wanted to hate Will for.

Things he couldn't possibly hate Will for.

Nico released his neck and he looked back up at the blanket ceiling in front of him.

Suddenly, the blanket didn't seem so white. His eyelids ached.

He shut his eyes. The black surroundings suited his eyes so much more. He was so tired. He was just so tired. He had loved Will for so long. It really was beginning to wear him out.

Hades' footsteps slowed by ten times, and whether or not it was just a hallucination, Nico did not know, and he didn't care to find out.

As much as the odds were against it, Nico believed his love wasn't a mistake. Eros couldn't have been at the wrong place. Cupid couldn't have made a wrong shot.

And besides, Nico had to believe it. Not everything could have all been a lie. No. Nico refused to think otherwise.

A hot stinging feeling burned at the back of his eyes, and the first of his tears made his eyelashes wet. He blinked.

Nico heard the knock on his door. Hades was here. The lump in his throat didn't go away, but his heart skipped a beat.

Well at least the door was locked. Nico slowly unballed his hands, and his cold icy fingers loosened their tight grip on his skin.

And instead, they went up to cover his ears, his eyes, his face. He could literally feel the tears seep through the skin on his fingers. It only served to tell him that he really was there, alone, with Will a free man on the surface.

His lips contorted into a thin curved line. He let out a cold ghostly sob.

"Just let me be." He whispered to himself. "Please...just stop…"

He cried softly, and his body took full pleasure in it. His frame shook like a volcano about to erupt, and he whimpered like a dying puppy. He hated feeling so helpless, but yet, he secretly wished somebody could come in to console him.

And that was the problem. Because he had spent so much time with Will, he hadn't thought about a scenario in which he wouldn't be there. And Nico was completely caught off-guard.

In hindsight, he should've known things would take such a turn.

Will had been his only ally of sorts. Before he and Nico had buried their unfounded hatchet, Nico's only friends were Reyna and...who was the other one again? Leo? Jason?

Nico couldn't even remember anymore. And it was all the more unsettling when Nico realised that he had only stopped school a week or so ago. Perhaps it was only then that he realised how much, or little, he invested in his relationships.

In all honesty, if you even tried to ask him when Hades' birthday was, he could only give at most an estimate of the date. Or if you asked him what Reyna's last name was, he would just brush off the question with his usual 'idgaf' expression.

But Will. Oh god. He could probably answer the most absurd questions, like the first time he had touched Will (Will's first death day) or the first time Nico gave him something (two days before Nico's abortion date, and Nico had given Will a small red crystal in the shape of a heart).

And the most beautiful part of this cursed relationship, Nico's eyes always lit up with this indescribable glint, and even despite the many times he faked hatred towards Will, he never really did.

"I devoted all my time to you, Solace...couldn't you see? Couldn't you tell? Was I being too vague? Was that my part of the problem? Was that why...those times you didn't explain clearly, i could still understand you?"

"Was it really because I was as vague as you? That I didn't tell you daily that I loved you? So...so...much?"

The knocking stopped. Nico breathed in. All was silent, with only the dripping of his cold, persistent tears echoing throughout his ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yeah, i kinda have something to announce. So basically the reason why im not writing the sequel immediately is because ive been under a lot of stress recently, like, i dont reach home before seven each day, and with homework, dinner, etc, its becoming increasingly harder to update that much. Im really sorry. I sorta feel ive let you all down :"(
> 
> And i have exams now, so i need to study a lot more. Plus i have ballet classes, workshops, an after school crystal-growing program, a math program, an English program, a co-curricular activity, a hell lot of school problems and projects and nothing ends before 0530. So im really really sorry. 
> 
> OF COURSE, im not abandoning the fic. Expect the next chapter of this next Friday, and the sequel around April to June. Im trying my best for all of you. Thank you so much for reading this
> 
> *Also, id really appreciate it if you'd take a moment to comment, and tell me your thoughts or anything really. Its kinda disappointing when I check and nobody left a review. Thank you so much <3


	16. Chapter 16

The moon hung high out of his window, a cold glow that chilled Nico to his bones. He pulled the bag across his shoulder, and crushed the cursed note in his palm. Since he was the cause of all this, he would be the one to go bring Will back, and hopefully still have his chance at Will's heart.

Nico laughed to himself, his voice hoarse, and the cats outside purred patronisingly. He cringed. Even the bag hanging limply on his shoulder appeared heavier than it had been before.

His phone rang and he jumped to silence it. How could he forget about it? He turned the phone on, and the vibration ceased.

Reyna. Two missed calls.

Nico suddenly wondered if she knew about his plan. After all, why else could she be calling him now? At this dark, unearthly hour? But no, she couldn't. After the day of the eclipse, he hadn't seen her anywhere. 

Nico's finger hovered over the 'call back' button. He didn't really want to answer her call. Not that he didn't like her. He just didn't quite want to talk to anyone now.

But yet this was exactly why when he needed someone to turn to, no one was there, wasn't it? Nico sighed and looked up to the ceiling. 

Silence reigned for a few moments, and he loosened the tension in his finger to touch the screen.

Nico took a deep breath, his stomach full of butterflies. He had almost never called anyone, not even Will, and that in itself was saying something.

"Hello?" Reyna's voice could be heard echoing throughout the room despite not being on speaker mode.

"Hi Reyna." He muttered flatly.

"Oh my gods Nico!" Nico managed a small smile.

"Yeah. Nico here." Nico heard the phone on the other side being waved around. "Reyna?"

"Hiya Nico! Mi amigo!" 

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Leo?"

"Yep. It's Leo here, hotshot." He could hear Reyna laughing in the background, but yet, it still sounded so civilised. Reyna had this calm, royal aura around her that Nico didn't know how to describe. 

"Since when did you speak Spanish?" 

"Dude I'm of Spanish descent! Did you not know?" Nico's cheeks burned. He certainly had not known, or maybe he had forgotten. Either one of them.

"Also, I'm not a hotshot." Nico said, suddenly remembering he was on a call.

"Sure you aren't. Anyway, what happened? Where'd you go? I saw you being dragged into the principal's office the other day--"

"Let him speak Leo. You aren't giving him any space to breathe." Reyna interjected.

"Thanks Reyna. Anyway, I kinda left school."

"Huh?" Nico pulled the phone away from his ear a little, expecting some sort of rant coming on. But nothing came.

"Uh...Nico? You there man? Hey. Hey!"

Nico placed his phone back beside his ear. "Sorry. I was kinda waiting for a more rowdy reaction."

Reyna took the phone back. "Hm it's not really out of character for you to do this i guess. I mean, you were the more wilful type."

"You got that right."

"Yeah I did." Nico was quiet for a minute.

"Is that all you called me for?"

"Well...no." The cats started working up again, and they began to scratch his bedroom window. Which Nico found rather odd, considering that his bedroom was on the second floor. 

"Reyna? Yeah, wait a sec." Nico dropped his phone on the bed and warily shuffled toward the window ledge..

He peered over the ledge. Two yellow glowing eyes stared back at him, and the cat purred again.

"How'd you get up here?" 

The cat tilted its head, and tried to nuzzle it against Nico's cheek, but it could barely lift its head up.. 

"Suppose you can't really answer that." Nico leaned over to pick up the cat, and the cat wriggled a little.

"Stay still kitty. Do you want to fall?" The cat purred once more, but stopped in its tracks.

He cradled the little bundle in his arms and shut the window.

"I guess you came from the tree." Nico muttered, looking out to the long weak branches outside. The cat licked Nico's finger gratefully, and Nico didn't move it away.

"Nico? Hey." Nico didn't hear it for a moment. "Reyna? Did he hang up on us? That little piece of sh--"

"Hey hey Leo. Sorry about that. Some cat was falling out my window." Nico said briefly.

"Um...ok. Anyway, Reyna wanted to call you to ask about something."

Nico nodded. "Yeah. Told me that just now." Nico scratched the back of his neck. "So...what about it?"

"I...saw something." Reyna hesitated. Nico was slightly taken aback. Reyna never hesitated. She was confident, and was a more blunt person. She didn't pull any punches; if she had something to say about you, she would say it.

"Oh? What did you see?" Leo interjected.

"I--" Reyna sighed. "Or...Leo? Could you leave us for a while?"

"I...sure." Nico could almost see Leo's sad and forced smile. It made him wince. "Don't want to be the third wheel now do i?" Leo added, and Nico heard footsteps and the sound of a door closing.

"So...about what you saw?" Nico tried to get back on topic, but Leo's words played over and over like a haunted tune in his mind.

"You know that day at the park?"

"What park? What day?" Nico absently scratched the cat's ears, and she snuggled into his lap affectionately.

"It was a really hot day, and there were tons of flies around--" Nico frowned. He didn't like it when people, especially Reyna, purposely avoided his questions.

"Reyna please. Cut to the chase."

Reyna laughed nervously, and this was nothing like the regal Reyna he knew.

"Chase?" The awkward laugh came on once more. "What chase?"

"Reyna."

"Nico..?"

"Reyna! Goddamnit! You said you had something to tell me, and i want to know what that is!" Nico was so close to tearing out the hairs on his head. The cat purred, this time, alarmed.

"Fine! I s--"

"Hey! What's with the screaming? I'm trying to complete my fire-breathing dragon for the science project!" Leo yelled through the closed door. 

Reyna exhaled. "Sorry. I was a little out of it today." She took a deep breath. "I saw Will kissing you."

Nico felt his entire face, stretching on to the back of his neck, grow increasingly hot.

"You did?" Nico asked in a small voice.

"Yeah…" Reyna trailed off. "And I'm not saying it's bad...or wrong...or against certain values or anything."

Nico began to sweat. It was so odd---the feeling of sweating. He was almost always in the cold rink or at home, chilling. And now, to feel his shirt stick to his back just made him want to go take a shower.

“I don’t know man. It’s just so foreign to me. I guess...i never thought you’d be gay.” There she said it. The cat stopped purring, the crickets stopped chirping. Everything fell silent. The ball was in Nico’s court, and how he would send it back could change everything.

“Well...Will is too.” Nico squirmed. “And it’s not like I was the one who kissed him. He kissed me! I was at the receiving end!” 

“So you don’t like him back?” 

“I do!” Nico explained, exasperated. “I just don’t know if he does too!” Nico rubbed his temples. “Why’d you tell me this Reyna?”

“I thought you’d want me to tell you that I knew, so then...you wouldn’t have to hide it in front of me.”

“I mean, I am glad that you told me. But like…” Nico balled his clothes in his hands. “You didn’t have to.” Nico didn’t know how to say the next part nicely.

“We aren’t even that close.”

“Ouch.” Reyna replied, a little hurt. “But I do hope I can get closer to you, Nico. I hope you know that I actually want to be your friend.”

“Is this some kind of hoax?”

“Oh gods. The fact that I even have to say no tells a lot.” Reyna said.

Nico, pressured, stroked the cat vigorously. "I don't think that's possible."

"You don't think what's possible? Me saying no?" 

"No. I don't think we can get closer." Nico said, grimacing at his bluntness and tactlessness.

"Oh." 

"It's...not your problem. Will he...he forced rebirth."

"What...do you mean?" Reyna was, so far, taking this in so calmly Nico wondered if Reyna had even heard him right.

"He is on the surface. Like...living and all."

"So...as a baby? Or like, as himself." Nico suddenly felt this huge embarrassment for reacting like he had.

"Himself." Nico sighed.

"So you plan to go get him?" 

"Yeah." 

Nico was so many things. A skater with skills beyond his years, he was intelligent, he was a popular kid when he was in school. He found the love of his afterlife at the mere age of seven, he was highly sought after for his looks (which he never quite understood why).

But maybe the void in his self couldn't be mended with such things. Maybe the longer he stayed, the greater the hole would tear. 

Nico clenched the cat's fur in his hands. It nuzzled its nose against his chest, as if to tell him "it's fine, you can just leave". A huge lie, and an equally huge price to pay.

Nico gripped his bag. "Reyna...please don't hate me."

"But you can't do this! The price to pay...is it really worth it?" Yep, Reyna had heard him alright.

Nico was silent for a few seconds, and it took him a while to notice the tears that fell on his lap and the cat.

"Yes." 

"Are you...crying?" Reyna probed.

"Don't ask." His voice thick. "I just...hope that you'll give me your well wishes."

Nico stood up, the sudden blood flow to his feet numbing them. "But Nico--"

"Reyna." Nico cut her off, walking down the stairs quietly. "You know this is what I want."

"It’s not just about you anymore Nico! You know how i’ll feel about this!" Reyna said, slightly hysterically. 

"This isn't your fault." Nico said. "If i go through with it, it'd be my decision."

Nico softly opened the door and walked out of his house, hoping he wouldn't wake the sleeping Hades. He didn't want this to be yet another failed attempt.

"Nico--" Nico hung up, then pressed his fingers against his eyes. Gods, everything had seemed to be going well for him, but then one incident was followed by yet another. Nico feared he'd crumble.

He felt a furry sensation at his legs. The cat. He looked down, and it stared back up at him.

"You can't come with me." It meowed sadly, then pounced onto his shoulder, burying its head into his hair. Nico wondered how anyone could refuse that cute pair of eyes. His gaze softened.

“Fine. But we have got to be quiet alright?” Nico whispered, then unzipped his bag. He pushed everything inside to the left, and patted the empty space he had created. 

The cat looked up innocently at him, and he nudged it into the bag. It sniffed the area, then sat down for a rest.

Nico wanted a rest too, so so badly. He hadn’t slept well for the past few nights, and the perpetual dark circles under his eyes made him appear to have eyeshadow.

A bright light suddenly blinded his vision for a moment, and he flinched.

Remembering his mission, he ducked behind a bush to avoid being seen. Gods what an idiot he was; standing outside his home in the middle of the night with a cat in the bag (pun not quite intended). He took a deep breath, and began to crawl along the route he had mapped out earlier in the day.

The night darkened further as he wove around countless streets, and by the time he was even near the gates, the sky was beginning to brighten. 

While it wasn’t that good of a thing, the guards, after an entire night of staying up, were definitely not as alert. Nico himself was running on adrenaline.

The plan had changed drastically, to say the least. Nico would just charge and try to get past the guards. No cover story. Just be as reckless as possible. It wasn’t the best plan, but Nico was not up to think up another more detailed plan.

He inhaled deeply, even the cat stopped its continuous purring, and settled down to sleep in silence. He wiped his clammy hands on his pant legs, and tilted his head to the left and right. 

He was just about to sprint when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. 

His blood turned ice-cold.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've changed the name of this work to 'see you on the other side'

Nico pursed his lips and squeezed his eyes shut before turning around.

"I swear! It's not what it looks like!" He spluttered.

"Oh sure it isn't di Angelo." A warm familiar voice said instead of the fierce menacing one Nico had been expecting.

"Reyna? What are you--"

"I wanna come too." Reyna pleaded. "Trust me. Afterlife is boring as hell."

"You know you can't, Rey. You are still in school. People will notice. Your parents will notice. Leo will notice."

"I don't care about that cousin."

"You do. And you it." Reyna didn't say anything. Instead, she looked at him, her face full of emotion that Nico couldn't even name if he attempted. 

"Don't go, Nico." The cat in Nico's bag purred too. Nico shook his head.

"Is that that cat," Reyna exhaled.

"Yeah. Annoying fella." Nico smirked.

Reyna rubbed her head. "This is literally too much."

"Don't think about it."

Nico eyed the guard as it slowly began to amble away. This was the most opportune time. After this, Nico would have to wait till the following night to leave, and Nico didn't have the patience.

He got up, the bag slapping against his thigh.

Reyna looked at him knowingly. "Don't do it Nico."

Nico's empty gaze was her response. He turned to jog towards the gates. It was now or never.

"Don't you freaking do it!" Reyna screamed and ran after him.

Nico cracked a rare smile. "Forget me Reyna. It'd be easier."

"No! Nico!" She gasped between sobs as he began to sprint. Reyna hurried after him urgently. Nico couldn't help but think about the twisting guilty feeling in his gut. He was leaving her behind, just like Will had him.

"Nico, please. There must be another way to overcome this!"

"Like what Reyna?" He whispered hoarsely, stopping in his tracks. "A million words aren't going to bring him back, do you not think I've tried?"

Reyna stared at him wordlessly, probably thinking up ways to get him to stay.

"And neither will buckets of tears, Reyna. I know I've cried."

The guard left his post, and Nico gritted his teeth. He'd have to go now, or he'd never.

"That's it Reyna. I'm leaving." He hugged Reyna, and for the first time, he didn't think about Will. "Thanks. For everything."

Nico turned and sprinted towards the gates. His vision blurred, and he could hear her footsteps behind him. Possibly even words being yelled at him. 

And the wind, it carried him in its long wispy arms. The trees pushed him away with their old withered branches. The shadows pulled away from him, as the early morning sun shone down on him.

Yet he couldn't help but notice the beautiful light that glowed from behind the door. His hand reached out to touch it, and his finger burned at the contact. 

But oh, it was gold. He loved this feeling. He could feel his entire body ignite with fiery flames and sparks flew about, bouncing off his chest, as he pushed open the doors. His eyes flashed open, and they reflected off beams of yellow light.

The light blinded him, but he yearned for it. His vision was blotched with specks of white dust. 

The doors parted, and the light ended its immense rage, to reveal a dark endless tunnel. The heat stopped rushing through his veins, and his fingers tingled with numbness.

Now, his body sizzled with much pain and agony, piercing him to the very bones. He clutched at his self in anguish. He began to regret not stealing some of the painkillers Hades had.

Souls who actually had a reason to be there were given painless exit, but now, Nico wasn't one of them. So he had to pay the price.

And he sincerely hoped it was worth it.

So he picked up his battered body and pulled it toward the other end of the passage. His body screamed in defiance, and he let out a pained cry from the hurt.

He felt a pair of arms hold him up and direct him. He closed his eyes, and hoped it was some saint helping him across.

He felt himself slipping away from consciousness, but still, his mouth tilted upwards into a smile, a small little grin.

"See you on the other side, Will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm done yall :) this has been an incredible journey with all of you. If you haven't read the previous A/Ns, I'm taking a two month hiatus.
> 
> You can always message me for whatever reason :) i'm always open to yall. Hoped you liked reading this story. 
> 
> Please comment! It would really make my day (even if its criticism) <3


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